FRIENDS who have met up every year on New Years Day for 16 years were among the crowds of visitors and locals enjoying the first day of the year at the Mildura riverfront.

Temperatures reached over 40 degrees on Sunday, but didn't deter people from getting outside and soaking up the sun.

Friends Alan Pettitt, Ian Howie, Ruth Budde, June Hetherington and Jill Duncan spent the day together, the wa...