Council’s Australia Day fireworks launch shifted to Flagstaff Hill

Wollongong City Council media release: Sunday 25 January 2026

Wollongong City Council has implemented a plan to shift the firing point for the Australia Day fireworks display to Flagstaff Hill following an analysis of forecast conditions on Sunday evening (25 January).

The 9pm display was scheduled to launch from the southern breakwall of Wollongong Harbour, with pre-approvals also secured for Flagstaff Hill as an alternative option should conditions require an alteration to the event plan.

Following an analysis of ocean swell and wind forecasts on Sunday evening, it’s been determined that the Flagstaff Hill location offers the greatest likelihood of fireworks safely going ahead on Monday night.

This contingency, including the necessary pre-approvals, was built into Council’s event plan following the cancellation of the planned New Year’s Eve fireworks on December 31 due to a sudden and unanticipated increase in ocean swells impacting the breakwall.

Despite the shift in firing location, Wollongong Harbour remains the best vantage point to take in the display, with Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown saying it's still the place to be on 26 January.

“We’re all looking forward to watching the fireworks light up over the harbour, especially after the New Year’s Eve display had to be cancelled,” Councillor Brown said.

“That was obviously unanticipated and not something we’d experienced in 20-odd years launching fireworks from the breakwall. We’ve done our due diligence on the back of that and conducted fresh assessments of potential firing locations.

“We put a back-up option in place that lets us be as nimble as possible. The weather gods will always have their own ideas but, based on all the information available, plan b gives us the best chance of the fireworks going ahead.

“Even with the different launch point, the fireworks will still break over the Harbour and, weather permitting, there’ll be no better place to be come 9pm Monday.”

While the back-up plan has been actioned, all fireworks displays are subject to conditions on the day and at the scheduled launch time.

It should also be noted that shifting fireworks displays requires 24 hours’ notice, with strict licensing and logistical factors not allowing for concurrent plans to be actioned beyond this lead-in timeframe.

Head to Council's event page to check out ways to enjoy the day.