2 months ago
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Brisbane is set for a bumper New Year’s Eve fireworks display on Wednesday, but after spectators were left waiting up to 2.5 hours to leave the inner city following Riverfire, how do organisers expect to avoid a gridlock once the last rocket launches?
After the Riverfire show on September 7, streets and key transport routes were overwhelmed by more than half a million people attempting to leave the city.
Translink had boosted train, bus, and ferry services on the day, and made trips from select stations free from 7.30pm, after the pyrotechnical display wrapped up.
About 100,000 people are expected to attend New Year’s Eve fireworks shows in Brisbane this year.Credit: William Davis
Despite the preparations, attendees said stations and vehicles had been inundated with passengers and those waiting for their services, stopping others from reaching buses and trains at key stations.
Others who struggled to leave the city said crowds had bottlenecked though inner-city streets, many of which remained open to vehicles, while carparks were gridlocked.
However, the Brisbane City Council, which is the key organiser of Brisbane’s two New Year’s Eve fireworks shows, said it did not expect a repeat of Riverfire.
The council pointed primarily to much smaller anticipated numbers, with crowds predicted to be about one-fifth of those at Riverfire.
A council spokesperson said attendance was also expected to vary across Wednesday night, leading to staggered arrival and departure times, and therefore smaller surges on key travel infrastructure.
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On Sunday, the council revealed its complete plan for the 2026 New Year’s Eve shows, adding two new drone light shows over the Brisbane River at 9pm and 11pm, between the 7.45pm and midnight fireworks displays.
The council recommended five inner-city vantage points, including South Bank, Kangaroo Point, Queen’s Wharf, Howard Smith Wharves, and the Riverside Centre on Eagle Street.
Crowd control at these precincts would be managed throughout the night, while safety across Wednesday’s event was a multi-agency effort including police, SES, and public transport providers including the council and Translink, a council spokesperson said.
More than 600 buses will be added on the night, increasing by 200 from last year.
Train services will more than double across the night and early morning, totalling an additional 135 services – several dozen more than were added during 2025 New Year celebrations.
Crowds wait for buses after Riverfire 2025 in Brisbane.Credit: Nicklaus Pomah
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Main Roads, which manages Translink, said it had boosted its public transport offerings – including making travel free from 8pm – in a bid to reduce the number of cars in the city.
Translink would also run ferries on a special event timetable, available on its website ahead of Wednesday.
“Large crowds are expected, so we’re encouraging Queenslanders to plan ahead,” the spokesperson said.
Inner-city stops had also been shifted away from riverside roads, some of which would be closed off to accommodate crowds, although most streets would still remain open to cars.
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