Brisbane Riverfire 2023: Best suburban spots to watch fireworks

Want to enjoy the Riverfire 2023 fireworks without battling the crowds? Discover the top suburban view spots, as well as information on road closures, parking and public transport.

Brisbane is set to dazzle like never before on Saturday, September 2, as more than 11 tonnes of fireworks from 15 firing locations explode in the night sky for the city’s annual Riverfire show, which this year signals the start of the Brisbane Festival.

Officers from Resources Safety and Health Queensland are now completing the final safety inspections ahead of the event.

This year there will be 15 firing locations around Brisbane including the Story Bridge, the Goodwill Bridge, five barges on the river and eight city rooftops.

RSHQ senior inspector of explosives Raymond Stewart said approximately 1500 hours of work has gone into ensuring the display goes off with a bang.

“There’s a number of things we inspect, in particular the stability of the platforms that the fireworks are being fired from, the angling of the fireworks to make sure the border-tubes are vertically fired.”

Riverfire pictured from the Emporium Hotel at South Bank. Picture: Josh Woning

More than two tonnes of fireworks will be used in the display, shooting 20,000 ground based pyrotechnic effects and more than 4000 aerial shells.

“The worst case scenario would be, for example, a barge initiating uncontrolled; in which case that’s why we have the exclusion zones in place,” Mr Stewart said.

Fireworks operators from Foti International Fireworks have been organising the Riverfire event for almost two decades.

“It’s a lot of work, it’s our 18th year I think at Riverfire and each year we just try and make the show different,” creative director Fortunato Foti said.

“This year we have different effects that haven’t been done before, there’s pinwheels, gold crackles and silver crackles.

“It’s a celebration of the Brisbane Festival starting, a celebration of the year we’ve had.

“Hopefully people will go away saying this one was the best one.”

Here’s everything you need to know about how to enjoy the big show.

BEST SUBURBAN VANTAGE POINTS

– St Bridgid’s Church, Red Hill

– Collins Rd, Ferny Hills

– Stuartholme Rd, Bardon

– Plucks Rd, Arana Hills

– Camellia Ave, Everton Hills

– Bilsen Rd, Wavell Heights

– Eildon Hill Reservoir, Windsor

– Mt Coot-tha Lookout

– Zeehan St and Rode Rd, Wavell Heights

– Forbes St, Hawthorne

– Old Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo

– Camp Hill Bowls Club car park, Ferguson Rd

– Mt Gravatt Lookout

– Holy Trinity Church, Woolloongabba

– Cnr Dornoch Tce and Hampstead Rd, Highgate Hill

– Gateway Bridge

ENJOYING AT HOME

For those wanting to stay at home, the event will also be broadcast live on Channel 9 and Triple M will run a playlist curated by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, synched to the firework display.

NEED TO KNOW

Schedule

South Bank opens: 9am

Air force and Army displays start from 5pm

Fireworks: 7.05pm – 7.25pm

Nieergoo: Spirit of the Whale drone show at 7.45pm and 9.15pm

The popular defence flyovers will continue in 2023. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

ROAD CLOSURES

Victoria Bridge

Western footpath (Museum side) closed from 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

Victoria Bridge Monument closed between 4pm and 9pm.

Goodwill Bridge
Closed to pedestrians and cyclists between 4pm and 8pm.

Story Bridge

All Traffic lanes close and no pedestrian access from 6.30pm until 8pm

Captain Cook Bridge – Riverside Expressway:

The inbound lanes (northbound) of the Captain Cook Bridge may close between 7pm to 7.30pm on Saturday 2 September via a controlled vehicle movement.

The outbound lanes (southbound) always remain open but operates at a reduced speed with police patrols monitoring traffic flow and responding to any incidents.

PARKING

City

Riverwalk (Riverside Centre & Eagle Street Pier)

Post Office Square car park

Central Plaza 1 car park

MacArthur Central car park

201 Charlotte Street car park

480 Queen Street car park

Fortitude Valley

388 Brunswick Street car park

Martin Street

Howard Smith Wharves

167 Eagle Street car park

Howard Smith Wharves car park

South Bank

10 Browning Street car park

SW1 car park

Victoria Bridge

Wintergarden car park

Crowds gather on Brisbane’s Riverwalk to catch the spectacle. Picture: Lachie Millard

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS

South Bank will be fenced off for public safety. Entry begins at 9am, and once capacity is reached, the gates will close. South Bank is an alcohol-free space for Riverfire.

Leave your pets, bikes, scooters, drones, alcohol, and drink bottles with broken seals at home. Bag checks start at 9am. Restricted items will be confiscated by security staff.

Keep your furry friends safe at home. Check out RSPCA’s website for pet safety tips during the fireworks.

No drones within 1500m of event venues.

Weather: The show will go on unless there is excessive wind.

ACCESSIBILITY/PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Bus and train services are free beginning straight after the fireworks – from 7.30pm until 9pm.

Free travel is only available from bus and train stations surrounding South Bank and the City.

Additional Citytrain, bus, and CityCat services will be available; see the TransLink website for more details.

A dedicated accessible viewing platform will be established at Kangaroo Point.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Foti Fireworks Queensland, the team behind the show, is committed to offsetting carbon emissions and reducing waste.