Brisbane is hosting its biggest fireworks display ever

Brisbane is preparing to host the biggest and best New Year’s Eve fireworks display ever, with more than 45,000 effects in four key locations to bring in 2019 with a bang.

Max Brunner with this year’s fireworks on his barge. Picture: Annette Dew

BRISBANE is preparing to host it’s biggest New Year’s Eve fireworks display ever, with more than 45,000 effects in four key locations to bring in 2019 with a bang.

Seven tonnes of fireworks – with an extra 10,000 individual pyrotechnic effects – will be synched and co-ordinated across South Bank, Eagle Street Pier, Portside Wharf and Howard Smith Wharves.

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This year’s 10-minute show will include many new fireworks effects including whistling serpents – a firework the whistles as it rises and then moves away like a serpent, ghost shells which are a round firework that fades away and reappears as a ghost, and dragon tails – a 360-degree spinning firework.

Skylighter FireworX boss Max Brunner said his team had been working around the clock for days to make sure the fireworks were spectacular and safe, and mentioned there would be a very special tribute at midnight.

Max Brunner with this year’s fireworks on his barge. Picture: Annette Dew

“We have a beautiful tribute at midnight to Aretha Franklin with a beautiful rendition of Respect,” he said.

Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner said there were plenty of free family-friendly spots to watch the spectacle, including Wilson Outlook Reserve in New Farm, Captain Burke Park in Kangaroo Point, or the Kangaroo Point Cliffs for the 8:30pm show.

“We know there are going to be 85,000 people in South Bank alone, but there are going to be hundreds of thousands of people out on the night at different locations,” Cr Schrinner said.

The best vantage points for the South Bank Parklands are at Clem Jones Promenade, the Cultural Forecourt and River Quay.

Public transport is free from 8pm on NYE through to 5:30am the next morning, and the Go Between Bridge toll will be waived from 6pm on NYE to 2am on New Year’s Day.