Lotterywest Skyworks
Encyclopedia
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
show that is held over the section of the Swan River
Swan River (Western Australia)
The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. Its lower reaches are relatively wide and deep, with few constrictions, while the upper reaches are usually quite narrow and shallow....
in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
known as Perth Water
Perth Water
Perth Water is the section of the Swan River between the Causeway to the east, and Narrows Bridge to the west - a large wide but shallow section of river on the southern edge of the City of Perth, Western Australia, and the northern edge of the suburb South Perth. Retrieved 29 December 2006...
. It is held every Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
on the 26th of January.
The Skyworks show usually runs for half an hour and have involved fireworks launched from bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s, sky scrapers and moving boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s in the past. The fireworks are choreographed to a soundtrack which is played on the radio while the fireworks are underway. Many people travel into the inner-city to watch the Skyworks but many people can also be found watching the show from the top of hills and bridges that provide a view even from kilometres away.
History
The Skyworks started in 1985, and now are one of the most popular events in Perth. Some people camp out from early morning to get the best view. Good viewing points are South PerthSouth Perth, Western Australia
South Perth is a residential suburb 3 kilometres south of the central business district of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, which adjoins the southern shore of Perth Water on the Swan River...
, Kings Park
Kings Park, Western Australia
Kings Park is a park located on the western edge of Perth, Western Australia central business district. The park is a mixture of grassed parkland, botanical gardens and natural bushland on Mount Eliza with two thirds of the grounds conserved as native bushland. With panoramic views of the Swan...
, and the Perth foreshore. In 2005 and 2006 onwards, Foti Fireworks were in charge of the fireworks. In 2007, Howard and Sons were responsible for the fireworks and Laser System Europe were responsible for the new laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
show.
Sponsors
The City of Perth Skyworks are currently sponsored by the City of PerthCity of Perth
The City of Perth is a local government area and body, within the Perth Metropolitan Area, which is the capital of Western Australia. The local government body is commonly known as Perth City Council. The city covers the Perth central business district and surrounding suburbs...
, Channel Seven
TVW-7
TVW is a television station broadcasting in Perth, Western Australia, wholly owned by the Seven Network. It was the first television station in Western Australia, commencing service on 16 October 1959. It broadcasts analogue on VHF 7 and digital on VHF 6 from Bickley located in the Perth Hills...
and Mix 94.5
Mix 94.5
MIX 94.5 is a commercial music radio station owned by Austereo in Perth, Western Australia.The station originally began as 6KY, beginning broadcasting on 23 October 1941 and would eventually end up at the frequency 1206 kHz. On 1 June 1991, 6KY became one of two Perth radio stations to convert...
. There is usually a delayed telecast of the Skyworks on Seven. The soundtrack is broadcast twice by Mix 94.5, to be synchronised with both the fireworks and the TV broadcast.
Less than a week from the 2010 Skyworks display, Lotterywest
Lotterywest
Lotterywest, formerly the Lotteries Commission of Western Australia, is an Australian lotteries corporation run by the State Government of Western Australia. Lotterywest sells lottery tickets and "instant win" scratchcards through a network of newsagents and other authorised retailers...
pulled out as the naming rights sponsor for the display because of concerns revolving around alcohol fueled violence. Lotterywest
Lotterywest
Lotterywest, formerly the Lotteries Commission of Western Australia, is an Australian lotteries corporation run by the State Government of Western Australia. Lotterywest sells lottery tickets and "instant win" scratchcards through a network of newsagents and other authorised retailers...
was the major sponsor for 15 years.
Incidents
In 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.In the late 1990s several small fires also erupted in the Kings Park bushland due to people igniting sparklers at the event. This led to the eventual banning of them.
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.
At the 2010 Skyworks alcohol was completely banned to prevent unruly behavior, leading to a reduced crowd of 300,000 people at the foreshore.
Other Australia Day fireworks in Perth
In 2007, FremantleFremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
held a small fireworks show for about 30,000 people as an alternative to Skyworks. In response, Perth Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
Peter Nattrass
Peter Nattrass
Peter Christopher Roland Nattrass is a Perth businessman and politician who was the Lord Mayor of the Perth City Council from 1995 to 2007 having succeeded Reg Withers. He was elected to the council in 1977. He was re-elected Lord Mayor in 1999 and again in 2003...
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."
Hillarys
Hillarys, Western Australia
Hillarys is a northern coastal suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Joondalup. It is part of the Whitfords precinct, and is located 21 km north-northwest of Perth's central business district via Mitchell Freeway and Hepburn...
, Mindarie
Mindarie, Western Australia
Mindarie is an outer coastal suburb of Perth, Western Australia, considered to be northernmost of Perth's affluent beachside suburbs. It is located 36 kilometres north of Perth's central business district via Marmion Avenue and is part of the City of Wanneroo local government area.After being...
, Bassendean
Bassendean, Western Australia
Bassendean is a northeastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Town of Bassendean.Bassendean is home to the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum. The display has a collection of Steam and Diesel Locomotives, most of these have been restored to operating...
, Armadale
Armadale, Western Australia
Armadale is a suburb within the City of Armadale, located on the south-eastern edge of Perth's metropolitan area. The major junction of the South Western and Albany Highways, which connect Perth with the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia respectively, is located within the...
and Wanneroo
Wanneroo
Wanneroo may refer to:* City of Wanneroo - a local government area in the north of Perth, Western Australia* Wanneroo - a suburb in that local government area* Wanneroo Road - an arterial road north of Perth...
also held small fireworks shows.