New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 South of the Equator, 174 00 East of Greenwich

Time Zone: GMT +12

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia.  The first major country to see in the new millennium.

"First Light"

Half a World away from Greenwich, on the edge of the International Date Line they'll be celebrating "First Light". Please note that the time is measured is in local time - the Universal Day is measured from Greenwich, England.

Please read the "Health Warning" about where the "first light" of the Millennium will be seen. Courtesy of the Royal Observatory Greenwich

Wellington 2000

"Gisborne 2000 - First Light "

Then read all about the First Light Celebrations in Gisborne, New Zealand

Napier

Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Located on the East-Coast of the North Island. With the millennium sunrise at the door-step.  Join them in their celebrations towards and beyond the millennium.

From now on and through the millennium it will be updated with confirmed events throughout Napier, with the support of the Napier City Council Millennium Projects.  Includes a schedule of events to be held in Napier

Turning Point 2000: Canterbury - Waitaha

Turning Point 2000: Initiated and core funded by Christchurch City Council, Turning Point 2000's focus is to ensure that Christchurch and Canterbury have the progressive leadership and forward planning to organise celebrations for the year 2000 that are of great significance and have a lasting impact on our future generations.

For Canterbury, the year 2000 is a historically significant year: celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Canterbury Province, the 160th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by Ngai Tahu, and 250 years of Ngai Tahu settlement in the region.

Bluff in Southland

The towns of Southland New Zealand are located just minutes away from the International Date Line and are among the first to see the dawn of each new day.

Join them on News Years Eve for an unforgettable year 2000 event and be one of the first people on the planet to see the true 'First Light' of the next millennium.

Celebrate the advent of the third millennium at the most unique location on the planet. See the sun rise from the Pacific Ocean and set in the Tasman sea. Only at Bluff in Southland, New Zealand.

Be entertained by fireworks, laser lights, travel on a steam train, watch the War Birds from Wanaka do a bombing raid over Bluff in world war two fighter planes. Be part of the last new years eve dance of the second millennium, have the first breakfast of the third millennium before anyone else on the planet. Buy a "Passport to the New Millennium" and benefit your community where ever it may be on the planet. Order a video as a keepsake of this once in a thousand year event.

Millennium Jump

At dawn on Jan 1st 2000,a group of skydivers will leap from 12,000 ft over the International Dateline into the Pacific Ocean, 800 miles from New Zealand at Latitude 44.  The group of Auckland based skydivers intend to be the first in the world to see the sunrise of the new millennium,at 3.45 am New Zealand time, 15 minutes before the nearest land,the Chatham Islands.

They are starting a worldwide search for a Tandem Passenger,a non-jumper who would like to be the first to see the sunrise of the new millennium.  People can place bids by phone, email or letter to the jump organisers from $7500 U.S ( to cover the cost of the Tandem Parachute) until the end of September 1999.

The successful bidder will be hosted in New Zealand and be given all the necessary training.The event will be televised and broadcast worldwide as part of the New Zealand millennium celebrations.

All funds raised will go to charity.

A charter vessel will be waiting at the dateline to uplift the jumpers from the ocean and return 10 hours later to the Chathams.  You can even fly over the International Date Line to witness this event at the dawn of the year 2000.

All enquiry's or bids to Rob McLeod phone 09 4181974 NZ or email m1@ihug.co.nz
or snail-mail address: Rob Mcleod, 32 McDowell Crescent Hillcrest, Auckland, New Zealand
or visit their website:  www.millenniumjump.co.nz

The World's Biggest Time Capsule

From the World's Biggest Dome in Greenwich, England to the World's Biggest Time Capsule half-a-world away.

The World's Biggest Time Capsule to mark the millennium in New Zealand.

The structure will be in the form of a large underground Millennium Vault topped on the surface with a pyramid. A vertical wall at the base of the pyramid will feature a bronze bas relief depicting important milestones in the last 1000 years of the nation's history. This main structure will be surrounded by smaller Regional Vaults.

• See other time capsules across the World

Tall Ships 2000

The Tall Ships information page will be at: http://www.tallships2000.org.nz/

Millennium News from Christchurch, New Zealand

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