iPhone 4 Australian launch: pictures

Not greatly dissimilar to the public jubilation felt at the end of the second World War, Sydneysiders rejoiced at the strike of midnight as phone stores opened for the launch of Apple's iPhone 4. But it was an interesting night across town with pre-phone parties held by Optus, Vodafone and Telstra.

In previous years, the closest we've come to celebrities at the iPhone launch is Big Brother voice-over king Mike Goldman. This year Optus spared no expense, hosting a free concert by former Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland.

The VIP guests for the Kelly Rowland gig were actually the same people who queued earlier in the night outside the Optus flagship store on George St in Sydney's CBD. Optus surprised these early birds with a break from the queue and a place-holder to hold their position in line.

Telstra customers were treated to tasty treats prepared and served by a handful of contestants from the insanely popular MasterChef Australia cooking contest. Here we see the front of the Telstra queue watching finalist Alvin Quah.

MasterChef's Courtney Roulston dashes past with a fresh batch of finger food for the hungry punters.

Callum Hann, MasterChef's runner-up, being interviewed by CNET Australia's Ty Pendlebury and looking very, umm, relaxed.

Vodafone and 3 Mobile customers lap up the luxury at the Ivy nightclub in Sydney. VHA employed an ingenious system of giving interested customers a numbered wristband, invited them to the club for a drink then escorted them back to the store when their number was called.

While the VHA customers sipped anxiously at their drinks and contemplated chatting up the promo girls, the Optus faithful braved the increasingly chilly winter's evening. And if you think you can see the end of this line you are sorely mistaken.

Seriously, this line snaked around the block, back up the other side of the block, one final kink and all the way back down this back alley again.

There is absolutely nothing unusual about this image. Optus employees donned either banana or monkey costumes and handed out application forms to speed up the signing-up process later in the evening.

Optus staff inside the store look much more tense than the bananas outside.

Finally, the magical hour approached. Soon the backpacks would be full of phones, on the backs of sleepy ... umm ... iPhonies.

There was a certain amount of excitement and relief when the doors finally opened, but nothing quite like this guy's reaction. Hallelujah indeed.

Sam Dunster, the first person in line at the Telstra George St store, clutches his brand new Apple iPhone 4.