Watchwords

SUNSUPER RIVERFIRE. Photo by Marty Pouwelse, Courtesy of Brisbane Festival.

Watchwords

It’s Sunsuper Riverfire!

It’s that time of the year again...

Riverfire Rules!

 Here’s what’s happening...

The Event: SUNSUPER RIVERFIRE, presented by the Brisbane Festival in association with Triple M Radio and Channel Nine TV (Australia).

Date and time: Saturday, 29 September 2012 at 7.00 p.m.

Venue: Vantage points all along the Brisbane River with South Bank being the most popular one for families. This is an alcohol-free event and the venue is fenced for public safety and will be closed once it reaches capacity.

To ensure that everyone does stay safe, don’t bring pets, bikes, scooters, drink bottles with broken seals (including bottles of water or soft drink), glass or alcohol to South Bank because these will be confiscated by South Bank security staff.

Other vantage points include the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Victoria Bridge, City Riverwalk (including Riverside Centre an Eagle Street Pier), Captain Burke Park and Wilson’s Lookout. All these sites will offer food and beverages for sale. Parklife will be held at the City Botanical Gardens and Riverstage on Saturday and access to these areas will be restricted to Parklife ticket holders.

For those will limited mobility: access is available at South Bank, Eagle Street Pier, Riverside Centre and Captain Burke Park.

Ticket price: FREE EVENT

What’s happening: The Brisbane Festival’s closing night extravaganza has been one of Brisbane’s favourite events for many years. Everyone (but not his dog, which is usually hiding under the table) stakes out their spots along the venues early and prepares to be amazed with an explosion of fireworks and a pumping soundtrack from Radio l04.5 Triple M to accompany them. Those who can’t hack the noise and crowds or who need to look after hysterical animals can tune into Channel 9 for their exclusive coverage from 6.40 p.m. instead. 

If you and your family want to make a day of it, head on down to The Parklands, South Bank, maybe have a picnic and a swim in the lagoon, and wait for the fun to kick off from 12.00 noon. Check out 104.5 Triple M’s live outside broadcast.

You can also visit the Australian Defence Force Open Day from 12.00 noon to 7.00 p.m. and watch Super Hornet and ADF helicopter displays late in the afternoon. Alas no more F111s roaring down the Brisbane River with the famous dump and burn across Brisbane but the Hornets and helicopters are some consolation.

Travel information and road/river closures ­– there are extra public transport services in place for Sunsuper Riverfire.

Travel information and road/river closures: Plan your trip! Astute people don’t even think about taking their cars to or through the city during this celebration. There are road and river closures and parking is pretty well non-existent. It’s wise to use public transport and also remember that the City Cat Services during Riverfire may be delayed – you don’t want to miss anything.

To look up what’s happening with public transport visit http://www.translink.com.au or call Translink on 13 12 30.

For the latest information on road, bridge and river closures, alternative traffic routes and parking restrictions visit the Brisbane Festival website at http://www.brisbanefestival.com.au

There will be extensive road and river closures in these areas: throughout the city, South Bank, West End, Kangaroo Point and Fortitude Valley. Parklife will be held in the City Botanic Gardens and Riverstage and the City Botanic Gardens will be closed with no access to the riverside path and Boardwalk between Alice Street and The Goodwill Bridge.

Closures affect the Victoria Bridge, Goodwill and Kurilpa Bridges, and the Story Bridge. Bowen Terrace, Kangaroo Point, Story Bridge Precinct, Homan Street, Cliffs Precinct, River terrace and Mt Coot-tha and Mt Gravatt Lookouts are all affected so check before you go.

The Brisbane River will be closed between Mowbray Park, East Brisbane and Cribb Street Milton from 5.00 p.m. until 8.45 p.m. To use any of the three dedicated Spectator Mooring Zones you need to have an Entry Permit Flag and no, sorry, distribution of these closed in August.

Car parking? – you’ve got to be kidding! There will be no parking in Grey Street, Colchester Street, or Little Stanley Street. The South Bank car park reaches ‘Full’ capacity early and there is no access between 7.15 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. After 7.15 p.m. all vehicles must exit via Tribune and Vulture Streets. From 4.00 p.m. entry to the QPAC and Queensland Museum car parks will only be available from the Stanley Place entrance, near the State Library of Queensland. QPAC ticket holders are advised to allow extra travel time (a lot of extra travel time).

Apart from all that – have a ball! It really is one of Brisbane’s great events.

SUNSUPER RIVERFIRE. Photo by Atmosphere Photography, Courtesy of Brisbane Festival.