Organisers of Dubbo’s New Year’s Eve fireworks party have confirmed they are looking into the possibility of an alternative date in the wake of the event being called off due to wild weather.
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A day after strong winds and thick dust hit the city, the volunteer Dubbo Fireworks committee was tackling the clean-up and exploring options.
“We are looking into an alternative date and are working really hard on it,” committee member Karina Judd said.
“We hope to be able to let everyone know next week if that will be possible.”
The organisers said they were confident it was the right decision to cancel the event as the severe weather conditions set in on Monday evening.
Emergency services were consulted and the call was made at 7pm to “ensure safety of people and property”, they said on Tuesday.
The first of the partygoers had arrived at Apex Oval, where preparations by volunteers had been under way for hours.
“It was a challenging decision to make, but at the end of the day, everyone’s safety and enjoyment are our top priority,” Dubbo Fireworks committee chairman Peter Judd said.
“Our team is confident that cancelling the event was the right choice.
“We consulted our on-site emergency services and pyrotechnician, and noted the severe damage that towns further west were experiencing as the storm rolled through.”
Up to 8000 people had been expected to attend the volunteer-run event.
“We understand there is a lot of disappointment, our team feels the same way,” Mr Judd said.
“On the other hand, we have been blown away by positive feedback from the community overnight via social media.”
EARLIER:
Organisers of Dubbo’s New Year’s Eve fireworks party say they are confident it was the right decision to cancel the event as strong winds and thick dust clouds set in on Monday evening.
Emergency services were consulted and the call was made to “ensure safety of people and property”, they said on Tuesday.
The first of the partygoers had arrived at Apex Oval, where preparations by volunteers had been under way for hours.
“It was a challenging decision to make, but at the end of the day, everyone’s safety and enjoyment are our top priority,” Dubbo Fireworks committee chairman Peter Judd said.
“Our team is confident that cancelling the event was the right choice.
“We consulted our on-site emergency services and pyrotechnician, and noted the severe damage that towns further west were experiencing as the storm rolled through.”
Up to 8000 people had been expected to attend the volunteer-run event.
- READ MORE: Fireworks display the biggest Dubbo has seen
“We understand there is a lot of disappointment, our team feels the same way,” Mr Judd said.
“On the other hand, we have been blown away by positive feedback from the community overnight via social media.”
Only one incident was sustained at the event as a result of the weather conditions, the committee reported.
The clean-up at the oval continued on Tuesday, and the Dubbo Fireworks team asked for patience while they assessed the damage.
Mr Judd anticipated further announcements “early next week”.
Those who arrived early and paid entry fees were advised the money would still go to local charities as planned, with the donations to be announced in the coming weeks, the committee reported.
Dubbo joins several other NSW towns who had New Year’s Eve celebrations cancelled due to the storm including Maitland and Newcastle.
The 2018 New Year’s Eve fireworks display would have been the fifth annual event organised by the Dubbo Fireworks community committee.