Questions asked about Wollongong’s 2025 NYE fireworks fizzer

Wollongong City Council will today begin a review into the cancellation of the popular New Year’s Eve fireworks display at Belmore Basin. High on the agenda will be a decision on where to launch the city’s Australia Day fireworks, now just three weeks away. Council will want to avoid any risk of a repeat of the events of last week which disappointed thousands of new year’s revellers.

Among the questions being asked in the review: why was the decision taken to launch the fireworks from a notoriously dangerous stretch of breakwall that has claimed the lives of several fishermen, including a Sydney man who drowned in Easter last year when he was washed into the water in monstrous seas.

On New Year‘s Eve, fireworks contractors copped a drenching late in the afternoon when huge seas battered the breakwall, sending waves crashing into the fireworks launch zone.

The Illawarra Flame understands a large number of fireworks were washed into the entrance to the harbour and many more fireworks were soaked by the boiling surf.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown was notified of the unfolding drama at about 5pm, four hours before the end of year fireworks display was due to begin, while waiting for the Illawarra Hawks basketball game to begin at the WEC.

She told ABC Illawarra the difficult decision to call off the fireworks was made by the team assembled at the event’s emergency management centre based at the former court house at Belmore Basin.

“They had been gathering and watching the growing swells and as I understand it contingencies were being looked at, timing and what they could do – but the waves were coming over the breakwall where our fireworks were located.”

The Lord Mayor said some of the fireworks had already been “inundated” by the waves “and so I think the timing, the swell took people a bit by surprise".

Cr Brown responded to criticism that the problem should have been anticipated and a contingency back-up plan put in place to ensure the display could go ahead safely.

“The breakwall is licensed for us to put our fireworks on. People have said in the chatter ‘just move them'. It’s not as simple as that. Public safety comes first. Where are you moving them that people aren’t already gathered?

“But I think the waves washing over had already done the damage. And it was the fireworks operators who did say this just wasn’t safe. We have lost a fisherman off that breakwall who drowned within the last year. There is no way anyone should be out on that breakwall when waves are crashing over it. Unfortunately that was the decision.”

Once she was notified, the Lord Mayor asked Hawks staff to make the announcement shortly before tip off. The news was greeted with loud boos from the big home crowd. Council staff then sent the message out via its social media platforms, apologising for having to call the fireworks off due to safety concerns.

Cr Brown attended the harbour after the Hawks' win to spend “about an hour” talking with disappointed people, many who’d travelled from across the region to see the show.

“Everyone was disappointed naturally, but when you could see the waves crashing over the breakwall, everyone understood.”

The Lord Mayor said she offered “redeeming hugs with young people who were happy to have a hug” telling the ABC there was still “a good vibe on the night”.

With Council staff returning to work today, a thorough review of the new year’s event will get underway, including the question most being asked; why was there no Plan B?

“I’ve been talking to the General Manager and he’s requested a review,” Cr Brown said. “That review is going to be looking at contingencies and timing, and if there were other sites we could go to if the fireworks were indeed viable. So there’s a few questions to be answered.”

The other important question is who bears the cost for the lost fireworks?

“I will be asking that question as well. I’m assuming there’s insurance involved but that’s to be answered.”

Council told The Illawarra Flame the total budget for the 2025 new year‘s event, including the fireworks, was $99,000.

The Lord Mayor expects to have the results of the event review on her desk by the end of this week. It’s expected the review will include recommendations for new firing locations for the approaching Australia Day fireworks, well away from the breakwall and the risk of a repeat of the New Year’s Eve washout.

In a statement released on Monday, Council said the Australia Day fireworks display remains scheduled to take place at Wollongong Harbour on 26 January. "Council is working on a potential backup option, though it should be noted that outdoor events are always at the mercy of the weather and having an alternate firing point as a fallback option does not guarantee that fireworks will be able to proceed."

Meanwhile, in an early response to the New Year’s Eve drama in Wollongong, the NSW Government has installed new signage advising people of the temporary closure of the dangerous breakwall.

Despite the warnings, when The Illawarra Flame visited the breakwall early Tuesday there were still 10 people fishing off the wall.