New Year's Eve: Millions expected to turn out to welcome 2017 across Australia.

With 2016 coming to a close, millions of people across Australia are expected to turn out to ring in the new year with fireworks, live music and entertainment.

On Sydney’s harbour foreshore, hundreds of people camped out overnight to get the best spot — with the first person in line saying he got there 6:30am yesterday.

More than 1.5 million people are expected to arrive for festivities tonight. Several of the most popular viewing points have already reached capacity.

Hobart will welcome the new year with a performance by Australian artist Kate Cebrano, while Canberra will hold a dance party at Garema Place.

In Melbourne, 500,000 people are expected to turn out in the city, where a range of musicians will take stage across four live sites, including Kings Domain, Docklands, Treasury Gardens and Flagstaff Gardens.

At midnight, 13.5 tonnes of fireworks are expected to go off, covering an area of 8 square kilometres.

Extra police will be out in force in the city, and Victoria Police Commander Russell Barrett urged revellers to stay safe.

“If you are planning to drink, we say do so responsibly and consider how you are going to get home,” he said.

“Remember this is a no alcohol event in public areas. We will be enforcing that rule.”

Early revellers in Brisbane have already started staking their claim along the river in South Bank.

While in Adelaide, 50,000 people are expected to celebrate the end of 2016 at the Adelaide Oval with the Big Bash League clash between the Adelaide Strikers and the Sydney Sixes.

Another 30,000 people will ring in the new year across the road at Elder Park and large crowds are expected along the coast at Semaphore, Glenelg and Brighton for family friendly entertainment and fireworks.

In the nation’s west, thousands are expected to head to Northbridge in Perth for the city’s annual free New Year’s Eve celebrations.

While in the Top End, 5,000 people are expected to pack Darwin’s waterfront area to ring in the New Year with free entertainment and fireworks shows at 9:00pm and midnight.

Fireworks will also light up the sky at Darwin’s Mindil Beach and near the Convention Centre in Alice Springs.

The Bureau of Meteorology is warning widespread wild weather will bear down tonight, intensifying on Sunday, due to the monsoon trough across the Top End as well as a tropical low moving up from Central Australia.

Authorities warn against illegal fireworks

Emergency services are hoping revellers do not party too hard.

Authorities in Victoria have warned people not to use illegal fireworks, with Country Fire Authority chief officer Steve Warrington urging people to think of the possible consequences.

“Every year there are forms of illegal fireworks, now not only do dogs get lost and run away, but from a fire point of view they do start fires and they’re a real concern for us, particularly the illegal ones,” he said.

“Most of the ones that have permits do the right thing, so just be safe this New Year’s Eve.”

Meanwhile, pet owners were reminded to make sure their animals were secured when the fireworks begin.

The RSPCA said there were more lost animals on January 1 than any other day of the year.

“Not all creatures are fond of fireworks,” RSPCA Queensland said in a statement.

“If you have a dog, take it for a walk in the afternoon … if you are home, avoid fussing over your pet but try to engage them in normal activities such as playing.”

This post originally appeared on ABC News.