New Year's Eve family fireworks display moved to Yarra Park

Display location: Yarra Park
City: Melbourne
State:Florida
Date: New Year's Eve

Details:The Melbourne City Council has decided to move the family event on New Year's Eve to Yarra Park because of concerns of overcrowding.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle says council has found that the event was so successful last year that it was becoming a safety issue.

He said they can no longer allow the early family celebrations to cross over with midnight event because there were too many people in the CBD at one time.

"That created a crush that while safe last year, we could not guarantee next year," he said.

Councillor Doyle says the council has decided to "reshape" the evening with a family festival at Yarra Park which they hope will attract between 30,000 and 60,000 people.

"We will do a great New Year's Eve party for them that culminates in fireworks at 9.15pm."

He said they will also have the normal New Year's Eve event in the CBD as well.

He said the new arrangements will cost an extra $500,000 bringing the total budget for this year's New Year's Eve celebrations to $1.5 million.

"It's a lot of money. But it's money well spent and it brings families into the city, safely, to have a good time, in a free event," he said.

"I want to make it bigger and better than ever. I want families and children to be able to enjoy it and I want people to get here and be safe and then to get home, quickly and safely."

The Premier, John Brumby says he regularly attends New Year's Eve celebrations in the city and would be disappointed if the event was changed.

"It's always a great crowd. And it's always a family night. And you know in 99.9 per cent of the time, everyone is very well behaved indeed," he said.

Cr Doyle says he will approach the State Government and Melbourne Major Events for financial contributions towards the New Year's Eve event next year.