New Year’s Eve in Sydney is one of the world’s most iconic celebrations, drawing global attention and over 1.6 million people annually across both sides of the Harbour. CATO Group has proudly delivered Traffic Management and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) implementation for major Sydney council NYE events over multiple years, ensuring the safe and seamless movement of people, vehicles, and emergency services throughout this high-pressure, large-scale environment. This year, we were thrilled to expand on and deliver our specialised event logistic services to City of Sydney Council, North Sydney Council, City of Parramatta and Penrith City Council.

This year, however, presented many unprecedented challenges for event safety and security planning with the sudden increased focus on public safety in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack occurring only weeks before.

Security requirements escalated rapidly in the days leading up to the event, with agencies and councils reassessing risk profiles, Crowd Management Strategies and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation measures across all precincts. CATO Group was required to adapt, respond and troubleshoot evolving requirements under intense time pressure, while maintaining clarity, consistency and operational control across multiple councils and locations.

According to an ABC News report, ‘authorities confirmed that measures were in place to help people feel safe and that there was no greater, active or imminent threat to public safety.’ Achieving this outcome required extensive planning, collaboration and on the ground delivery, with CATO Group playing a key role in implementing Traffic Control, Crowd Management strategies and Event Safety solutions that allowed celebrations to proceed safely for more than one million attendees.

With an increased focus on public safety, CATO Group worked closely with event organisers, NSW Police Force, Sheridan Consulting Group, Counter Terrorism and STC to mitigate potential risks and support what is widely recognised as the world’s second most watched New Year’s Eve fireworks event, (second to New York City’s Time Square). This collaboration ensured that Traffic Management, Security and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation plans were aligned with broader counter terrorism and emergency management frameworks.

CATO were involved in both planning and implementation of Traffic Management Plans across the entire North Sydney LGA, with HVM measures such as barriers and vehicles strategically deployed to protect event zones. Management staff were again stationed within the Global Coordination Centre (GCC) to align with broader Harbour operations. enabling live monitoring, rapid response and collaborative decision making alongside council representatives, police and emergency services. This approach ensured that Traffic Control, Crowd Management and HVM Strategies could be adjusted in real time if and when conditions evolved.

The scale and complexity of this year’s New Year’s Eve operations were amplified by the need for flexibility. Crowd movements could change rapidly in response to transport conditions, weather, public messaging or emerging security considerations. CATO addressed these challenges by embedding adaptability into every stage of the operation. Traffic Guidance Schemes (TGS) included contingency options, crews were briefed on dynamic response protocols, and supervisors maintained constant communication with senior management stationed within command centres and liaising with agency partners.

On the ground, CATO’s traffic controllers, security personnel and supervisors worked in close coordination to ensure that adjustments could be made quickly without compromising safety. This integrated approach to traffic control, crowd management and hostile vehicle mitigation enabled CATO to successfully manage one of the largest and most complex operations in the company’s history.

Community engagement and collaboration were central to the success of the event. Extensive consultation with councils, residents, transport authorities and emergency services ensured that access needs, transport routes and pedestrian flows were carefully considered. A sincere thank you is extended to the volunteers, event and site managers, NSW Police Force, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Ambulance, Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains, Sydney Buses and Transport for NSW. The Sydney Metro network in particular proved to be a genuine game changer, moving people in and out of the city safely and efficiently and reducing pressure on surface transport networks.

Following three consecutive years of successfully delivering integrated event services for City of Sydney and North Sydney Councils, CATO Group has been recognised by the Traffic Management Association of Australia (TMAA), being named finalist in the Excellence Awards for Traffic Management Project or Event of the Year. This recognition reflects CATO’s ability to deliver under pressure, adapt to emerging risks and maintain the highest standards of event safety and operational excellence.

Through trusted partnerships, experienced leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement, CATO Group remains a leading Sydney traffic control and security company, delivering event safety solutions, crowd management strategies and temporary hostile vehicle mitigation for Australia’s most significant public events.

You can read more about our event services here.