City of Perth Skyworks

The Skyworks show usually runs for half an hour and involves fireworks launched from multiple barges in the middle of Perth water and, for many years up until 2012, included launches from various buildings in the CBD. Earlier Skyworks shows have also occasionally seen firing points include fireworks off the Narrows Bridge (around 2001 and 2002), off moving boats (late 1990s/early 2000s), off jet skis (2012), and fireworks suspended from helicopters (1999). The fireworks are choreographed to a soundtrack which is played on the events main sponsoring radio station while the fireworks are underway, with a different theme given to the soundtrack every year.

Many people travel into the inner city to watch the event, while some people camp out from early morning to get the best view. The main vantage points to watch the show include Langley Park, Elizabeth Quay, the South Perth foreshore, Sir James Mitchell Park and Kings Park. Perth Esplanade also had been a former major vantage point until the Elizabeth Quay development commenced in 2013. Others are also found watching from the tops of hills and bridges and from suburban streets and neighbourhoods that give views to the city, while the flat nature of the Swan Coastal Plain allows viewing from elevated suburban locations even further away.

The City of Perth Skyworks are currently sponsored by the City of Perth, Channel Nine and Mix 94.5. A delayed telecast has been broadcast since the mid-1990s and usually takes place a few hours after the event finishes with a simulcast on the radio. Another telecast replay usually takes place on the following weekend.

History

The old Skyworks logo

The Skyworks started in 1985 in conjunction with 96FM and fireworks company Syd Howard Fireworks International, and is now one of the most popular events in Perth.

Many fireworks companies have taken charge in supplying the fireworks; Pyrostar International held supplied many sky shows during the 1990s and early 2000s, while 2005 and 2006 saw Foti Fireworks in charge of the fireworks. 2007 to 2009 saw Howard and Sons responsible for the fireworks and Oracle Attractions were responsible for the lasershow. In 2010 Foti Fireworks again took charge of the fireworks and every year from then until 2015, in which Skyworks 2016 again saw the return of Howard and Sons.

The 2021 Skyworks was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6]

In the late 1990s several small fires erupted in the Kings Park bushland due to people igniting sparklers at the event. This led to the eventual banning of them. In more recent years some spectators have acted in an undesirable manner, detracting from the enjoyment of others. Reports of unruly and drunken behaviour at the show, of which some have led to fights and scuffles with the police, have become increasingly common. At the 2006 Skyworks the Western Australian Police successfully mounted an operation to minimise such behaviour. At the 2010 Skyworks alcohol was completely banned to prevent unruly behaviour, leading to a reduced crowd of 300,000 people at the foreshore.

Police and emergency service officials came close to cancelling the 2007 Skyworks due to extreme heat and strong winds. During the display, fires broke out on three of the fireworks barges. No one was injured, but nearby spectators had to be evacuated due to the thick smoke that blew towards the area. The show's finale was cut short and nearly a quarter of the planned fireworks display was lost due to the fires.[7][8] The 2012 Skyworks were also nearly cancelled due to extreme rain. The rain and thunder continued into the Skyworks, which onlookers said added to the experience.

At approximately 5pm on 26 January 2017, a Grumman G-73 Mallard seaplane stalled and crashed into the Swan River, a short distance from the Causeway, in front of thousands of spectators. Emergency crews and nearby people on the river rushed to assist, however the pilot Peter Lynch[9] and the passenger on board died. As a result, as a mark of respect for the deceased and their families, to preserve an investigation scene and amid concerns of aviation fuel in close proximity to the fireworks, the City of Perth elected to cancel the 2017 Skyworks.[10][11]

In 2007, Fremantle held a smaller community-based fireworks show for about 30,000 people, as an alternative to Skyworks. In response, Perth Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass said "Comparing Fremantle's proposed Australia Day cracker show to Lotterywest Skyworks is like comparing the City of Fremantle to the City of Perth – it's second rate."[12] The Fremantle Council's annual fireworks show was cancelled in 2017, however that year local business owners paid for their own fireworks display.

Hillarys, Mindarie, Bassendean, Armadale and Wanneroo also held small fireworks shows.[13]

• Official website