City in for magic night with fireworks spectacular

Date: Thursday, 24th September 2009

Pyrotechnic specialists are finalising preparations for the city council’s big fireworks finale for Saturday’s air display on the Strand.

Council has engaged Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics Displays, the same company behind the dazzling VP 60 show in 2005, to design and deliver the fireworks spectacular.

The 25 minute show will be fully synchronised to an all Australian soundtrack and broadcast over 4TO/Hot FM and speakers set up all the way along the Strand to give everyone the full experience of amazing sights and sounds.

Townsville Mayor Cr Les Tyrell said the fireworks display would provide the perfect finish to a world class event.

“Townsville has staged some fantastic events this year but the air show and fireworks spectacular will be unforgettable,” Cr Tyrell said.

“The fireworks display has been specially designed for the Strand celebrations by one of the best companies in the business and will follow precision timing.

“Seconds after the F111 performs the last ever dump and burn in the city at 6.45pm, the Strand will light up with a fireworks show to rival the sky shows of the past.”

Around 10,000 individual fireworks shells will be fired from the three barges during the show using a range of new look patterns and colour combinations at different angles and elevations.

The longest range aerial shells will reach almost 1000 feet before exploding in colour.

Howard & Sons specialists have been preparing the fireworks display for more than a month in the company’s Wallerawang factory in NSW.

The soundtrack for the computer controlled show will include music from the movie Australia and the latest from Wolfmother.