Moomba 2023: Parade to take on reverse route finishing at Shrine of Remembrance

Revellers can expect an extra night of fireworks as organisers of the iconic Moomba Festival expand plans to make it the biggest year yet.

Performers entertain thousands of Melburnians at Moomba. Picture: David Geraghty

The route of next month’s Moomba Parade will be changed in a bid to make the event more family friendly – as event organisers predict a record 1.5 million spectators.

In a change with tradition, this year’s parade will take a new, reverse route on Birdwood Ave, starting at Linlithgow Ave and finishing near the Shrine of Remembrance.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp told the Herald Sun the change in direction was all about making it easier for festival goers to make it back to the main celebration site.

And after record crowds flocked to Melbourne Park for the Australian Open – and an unprecedented 1.4 million people attended Moomba last year — she expected more of the same as Victorians reclaimed their capital city.

“We are shooting for record crowds – there is no doubt,’’ she said.

“We want it to be the biggest ever, we are expecting the same sort of vigour and excitement and enthusiasm we’ve seen at the tennis, as we saw on New Year’s Eve, that was our biggest New Year’s crowd.’’

Map of the 2023 Moomba Parade route.

Ahead of the first Moomba celebrations with no crowd restrictions since 2020, Ms Capp said the parade route was going back to the future to ensure “the way the crowd works is maximised’’.

“It’s going back to the way we used to do it,’’ she said.

“We kept mucking around with the way that it worked but it is going back to starting down towards the city and heading out, up the hill.

“We used to start at the Shrine and go down towards the city … but we will start at the city and head towards the Shrine.’’

For the first time, an extra night of fireworks will be added as Moomba stretches from four to five days, from March 9-13.

“The extra festival day does give us a chance to logically expect that we will have a bigger crowd this year,’’ Ms Capp said.

“We are really shooting for at least 1.5 million people to come into the city on what I call the Moomba long weekend.’’

Some of the world’s best athletes will showcase their skills on the Yarra River for the Moomba Masters water sports competition, with each category featuring the world number one.

Thousands of Melburnians attended the 2022 Moomba Festival. Picture: David Geraghty

The popular Birdman Rally and nightly fireworks will return.

A “Moomba Ride Pass” providing unlimited rides for all ages on Thursday, March 9 and Friday, March 10 will be introduced for just $45 per person.

In-line skating and quad roller skating will feature on the Moomba skate park program for the first time.

And a Bluey stage show, dance workshops, karaoke and interactive play zones will be part of children’s attractions.

Ms Capp said the iconic event was ready to return to its full glory, after having QR codes requirements and social distancing requirements just last year.

“This year, we’ve seen record crowds at so many other things and we’re really expecting people to come back with gusto,’’ she said.

“And so the extra night is recognition by us is that if we are going to see those massive crowds, offering an extra evening really spaces people out, gives them some extra choice and should make for the best environment to enjoy the carnival.’’

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