New Year's Eve party-goers in the city's hotspots were so far "well-behaved", according to Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton.
New Year's Eve party-goers in the city's hotspots were so far "well-behaved", according to Western Bay of Plenty area commander Inspector Clifford Paxton.
Paxton said there had been only five arrests before midnight, including two at the Mount and three in Tauranga.
"They were disorderly behaviour and breach of liquor ban... But overall people were generally well-behaved," he said.
"There has been some good family events both in Tauranga CBD and Papamoa which had had some very positive feedback."
Paxton said apart from a couple of disorders at Willow St and at the Mount it was a quiet night.
"It is not too dissimilar from what we would see on a usual Friday or Saturday night," he said. "People are well-behaved and are in good spirits."
So far people had been abiding by the liquor bans with no drink drivers pulled over at a check point at Totara St and Hull Rd earlier this evening, Paxton said.
"People are abiding by the rules and going out to enjoy their evening," he said.
Paxton said police's role was to ensure people were enjoying New Year's Eve safely.
"We did a checkpoint to make sure everybody is safe on the roads and are not exposing themselves or others to risk."
Tauranga Hospital's Dr Alastair MacLean said the hospital was beginning to get busy about 9.30pm-10pm and was expecting a major influx of patients through to tomorrow morning.
"As is to be expected we have had a number of drink-related injuries through our doors and that will continue," MacLean said.
"This is one of the busiest nights of the year every year and we plan for it as such so we are well staffed to cope."
The emergency base at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui. Photo/Andrew Warner
A St John Ambulance spokesperson said the emergency services base at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui, had seen fewer people needing help than in previous years.
"Seven people had come and gone and we have a couple here at the moment," the spokesman said.
St John Ambulance, paramedics, search and rescue and a doctor were on site for safety precautions.
"Their [search and rescue] job is to reconnect patients with their family," he said.
The spokesman said they had seen people who had overdosed on substances, mainly alcohol, including a few who had been taken to Tauranga Hospital.
"Numbers were significantly down on previous years."
Red Frogs volunteers were also based at Coronation Park for the New Year's Eve festivities.
Volunteer Anaiis Morandini, 24, said Red Frogs were based a three different locations around the country on New Year's Eve to help people have a safe and happy celebration.
Their role was to provide direct relief and a positive peer presence during the New Year celebrations and minimise any harm.
Morandini said there was no trouble in Mount Maunganui.
"It is great to see so many opportunities for people to celebrate regardless of the non-Mount event," she said.
The Red Frog volunteers Andrea Brown, David Bassett, Anaiis Morandini, Michael Upton and Glenn Manchester keeping the Mount safe this New Year's Eve. Photo/Andrew Warner
Tauranga City Council city events manager Gareth Wallis said it had been a very quiet evening throughout the city as people enjoyed the festivities.
"Our call centre has only received one query about traffic at the Mount, whereas this time last year we had already received a large number of complaints," Wallis said.
About 80 guests from all over the world were celebrating the New Year at Harbourside City Backpackers this evening.
Assistant manager Erwin Beiboer said it was the busiest the backpackers had been all year.
"They are mostly all international from Europe, Australia and some are Kiwis," he said.
Beiboer said the travellers had one of the best views in the city tonight on top of Cobb & Co at one of the oldest buildings in the CBD.
He said guests were playing games and enjoying the evening.
"We always try to create a home away from home especially around Christmas and New Year's Eve for people from all different countries."
Tauranga's waterfront was filled with hundreds of people celebrating the New Year at the family-friendly fireworks on The Strand.
There was a countdown from 20 to the fireworks which will again be set off at midnight and many people were enjoying the festivities from The Edgewater Fan or in many of the restaurants along The Strand.
People were also seeing the New Year in at Mount Maunganui. The Rising Tide on Newton St had seen its busiest day so far this year.
