Acing Inspector Paul Gardiner said most revelers were well-behaved.

"We had the usual occasional noisy parties that you get later in the night on New Year's Eve but there was only two drunks that were arrested for the night," he said.

Acting Inspector Gardiner said the cancellation of the fireworks meant fewer people were in the CBD.

"It's been a tradition for a lot of people," she said.

"That said, those people who are coming in for that, I don't think they are the ones who are giving us the grief anyway.

"They're the families who want to enjoy seeing the New Year come in who attend the fireworks.

"I'd just like to think perhaps the culture of people over indulging and misbehaving and all of that may be slowly turning.

"The public expectation is that people can go out and have an enjoyable night without being subject to anti-social behaviour."

Acting Inspector Gardiner said Bendigo had mirrored a state-wide trend.

"If you look at things state-wide there was 174 drunk arrests compared to 240 last year, there was 141 reported assaults compared to 182 last year and the total arrested was 293 compared to 356 last year," he said.

"I would like to think that trend, and what we're seeing through, is demonstration the the message is getting through and family's are enjoying these nights."