Council reveals transport plan to avoid Riverfire gridlock
Brisbane is gearing up for a spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks display on Wednesday, but after spectators had to wait up to 2.5 hours to leave the inner city in the wake of Riverfire, how do organizers expect to avoid gridlock when the final rocket is launched?
Following the Riverfire demonstration on September 7, streets and main transport routes were occupied by more than half a million people trying to leave the city.
Translink increased train, bus and ferry services that day and made services free from certain stations from 19.30 after the pyrotechnic show was completed.
Despite the preparations, participants said stations and vehicles were overflowing with passengers and people waiting for service, preventing others from reaching buses and trains at key stations.
Those trying to leave the city said that the crowd was blocked in the inner city streets. many remained open to vehiclesparking lots were clogged.
But Brisbane City Council, the main organizer of Brisbane’s two New Year’s Eve fireworks displays, said it did not expect a repeat of Riverfire.
The Council primarily noted the much smaller expected numbers; crowds are estimated to be about a fifth of those at Riverfire.
A council spokesman said attendance was expected to vary throughout Wednesday night, leading to staggered arrival and departure times and therefore smaller fluctuations across key travel infrastructure.
The council on Sunday unveiled its full plan for New Year’s Eve displays in 2026, adding two new drone light displays over the Brisbane River at 9pm and 11pm, between the 7.45pm and midnight fireworks displays.
The council has proposed five inner-city viewpoints, including South Bank, Kangaroo Point, Queen’s Wharf, Howard Smith Wharves and the Riverside Center on Eagle Street.
A council spokesman said crowd control in these areas would be managed overnight, while security for Wednesday’s event was a multi-agency effort involving the police, the SES and the council and public transport providers including Translink.
More than 600 buses will be added to the night, an increase of 200 from last year.
Train services will more than double at night and in the early morning hours, with a total of 135 more trips; this number is several dozen more than those added during the 2025 New Year celebrations.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport and Main Roads, which runs Translink, said it had increased public transport services – including making travel free from 8pm – in a bid to reduce the number of vehicles in the city.
Translink will also operate ferry services according to a special event schedule. Available on website before Wednesday.
“Large crowds are expected so we encourage Queenslanders to plan ahead,” the spokesperson said.
Urban stops were also moved away from riverside roads, and some of these roads would be closed to make room for crowds. most streets would still remain open to cars.
