In Pictures: New Apple iPad launch, Sydney

The new Apple iPad wasn't due to go on sale until Friday, March 16 but that didn't stop a queue from forming outside the Sydney Apple Store on George Street the night before.

I suppose this isn't particularly surprising. It IS an Apple product after all. Fans just go crazy.

Meanwhile, across the road, Telstra was preparing for its own midnight iPad launch.
The end of the queue the night before launch.
Lucky the weather was great that night.
Front of the queue at the Apple Store Sydney.
The morning of the Apple iPad launch, I popped down again to experience the pandemonium.
It wasn't quite bedlam but the line had grown significantly since last night.
In fact, the line was calm and orderly...
The same couldn't be said for the Apple Store staff. They were cheering and chanting just before the doors opened.

This is a picture of them before they began to drum up some excitement.
News crews - Crouched and ready to attack... I mean, ready to record all the action.
Stephen had been lining up since Monday morning.

While he was genuinely interested in the iPad, he was lining up as part of a challenge set by outsourcing website, Airtasker.
Stephen preparing for his triumphant moment.
He becomes the first person to enter the Apple Store in Sydney for the new iPad launch...
But he wasn't the first person to come out with the iPad.
The honor goes to Jonathan Hakim from Carlingford.

He was in the queue since 4.30pm yesterday afternoon.

This is his first iPad.
"I really loved the retina display once I saw it," Hakim said. "I'm a wedding photographer on the side so I thought it would be very helpful in my line of work. It's something really good that I can use."
Hakim getting a lot of attention for his achievement.