Tight security for New Year’s celebrations: Thousands of police deployed in Victoria

December 31, 2025

Melbourne: Thousands of police have been deployed to strengthen security during New Year’s celebrations in Australia’s southeastern state of Victoria.

Victoria Police said that several specialized units, including the Mounted Branch, Dog Squad, Water Police, Air Wing, and CIRT (Critical Incident Response Team), will ensure security until Wednesday night.

Superintendent Belinda Jones said the strong police presence will provide reassurance to the public following the recent shooting incident at Sydney’s Bondai Beach.

Crowd control and search operations

According to the state government, approximately 500,000 people are expected to gather in the Melbourne CBD.

The CBD has been declared a Designated Area until May, where police can conduct searches for weapons without a warrant.

Additionally, the Geelong CBD and St. Kilda foreshore have been designated New Year’s Eve areas.

A 7-kilometer-long barricade has been erected in the Melbourne CBD for crowd management.

Preparations to deal with terror and criminal activity

Victorian Acting Police Minister Enver Erdogan stated that CIRT officers will be prepared to deal with any situation with heavy weapons.

He said extensive security preparations have been made for events across the state so that people can welcome in the New Year in a safe environment.