The countdown is on for Brisbane’s most explosive night of the year – Riverfire.

This weekend more than 2000 kilograms of fireworks will go up in smoke at the big bash.

Matt Willms reports.

TRANSCRIPT

It takes months of planning to put together a show this spectacular.

Riverfire is the third biggest firework display in Australia, behind Sydney’s New Years Eve and Perth’s Australia Day shows.

Fortunato Foti, Creative Director: “Basically it’s three months of preparation for 20 minutes of fireworks, so it’s a lot of preparation that goes up fairly quickly.But I think at the end of the day it’s all worth it.”

Workers loaded six barges with 30 tonnes of equipment and 12 kilometres of cable at Murarrie this morning.

They’ll act as launching platforms along the Brisbane River.

Fortunato Foti, Creative Director: “It’s a form of entertainment and we have to perform every time we do a fireworks display. This is no different and hopefully everyone will enjoy.”

Spectators will witness unique effects that imitate slow falling leaves and shell fireworks that burst into multiple colours.

This Saturday night the river and the city behind me will come alive with a dazzling display.

The fireworks are set to illuminate the sky from 17 different locations.

Six thousand individual cues will see the fireworks and music come together for this pyrotechnic spectacular.

Fortunato Foti, Creative Director: “Fireworks is one of those mediums of entertainment where everyone has a front row seat, so wherever you are, and you can see the fireworks, you have a good view.”

Keeping with this year’s festival theme, the audience will see the night sky turn pink.

Matt Willms, QUT News.