Rooftop fireworks back with a bang for New Year’s Eve 2022

Melbourne’s spectacular New Year’s Eve rooftop fireworks display will return this year under a multimillion dollar plan.

New Year’s Eve rooftop fireworks will be back in 2022 as part of a $25 million spend by the City of Melbourne on events over the next year.

The rooftop display was cancelled in 2021 amid pandemic fears, and a smaller show of fireworks held in special zones, which attracted some criticism.

In a bid to lure more people back to the central city, the council’s draft budget for 2022-23 has set aside $25 million on events, festivals and other activations.

Nearly $4 million will be spent staging New Year’s Eve, $6.4 million for the Christmas Festival, $2.9 million for Melbourne Fashion Week, and nearly $5m on Moomba.

A view of the rooftop fireworks from Footscray. Picture: Jay Town

The $1.1 million Docklands’ Firelight Festival, which was dumped for two years due to shutdowns, is back in July for a three-night celebration of the winter solstice.

The event, which features big fire sculptures, pop-up stages and roving performers, drew 75,000 people and generated about $4 million for the local economy in 2019.

Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the events, festivals and activations would help to bring confidence to the city by enlivening streets and laneways, and confirm Melbourne’s

place as Australia’s cultural capital.

“We know events boost foot traffic and spending at city businesses,” she said.

Nearly $4 million will be spent staging New Year’s Eve in 2022. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Our beloved Moomba Festival drew a record 1.44 million people to the city in March, while our expanded Christmas Festival generated $18 million in economic benefit.”

“We’re on track to have our biggest-ever year of events, and this will ensure we can continue attracting huge crowds to the city to enjoy everything on offer – from food and fashion to music and culture.”

Other spending includes $1.8 million for Melbourne Knowledge Week, $1.4 million for Melbourne Music Week, and $2.6 million for at least 60 local events.

City activation portfolio lead councillor Roshena Campbell said that events were critical to the city’s economic recovery.

“Prior to the pandemic, they attracted almost 30 million visits to Greater Melbourne each year, and gave the local economy a $52 million boost,” she said.

“Our retail, hospitality and other small businesses have told us the most important thing we can do to turbocharge their recovery is drive visitation.”

“By investing in a record year of events, the City of Melbourne is responding to that call.”

Last year’s Christmas Festival drew a record 1.6 million people to the city.