Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Australia & the Pacific
Reload this Page >

Fireworks Festival - A "MUST DO"

Search

Fireworks Festival - A "MUST DO"

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 16th, 2014, 01:21 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fireworks Festival - A "MUST DO"

We just returned from the Gunning Fireworks Festival. Gunning is about 65km north of Canberra.

The aim of the festival is for the makers of fireworks to show their wares to prospective clients and we mere public get to watch!

At 6.50 the demonstrations started with 50 000 crackers, then 100 000 crackers. Then they showed one of this, one of that. Then ten of this and ten of that. Then 50 then 100 then 240.

There were 140+ items on the demonstration list. From Item 100 onwards, 65 was the smallest number set off in each demonstration.

At 8.05 the demonstrations finished and there was a five minute break til the real show started. This lasted 10 minutes and was complete with music. At one stage looking straight up and straight ahead you could see fireworks. So a total of 1hr 30min of fireworks.

We were so close that the time from the flash to the bang was less than a second (3 seconds would be a kilometre, 5 would be a mile - based on times for judging lightning and thunder distance). So at less than a second we were within 300m of the bang!

Apparently it is the largest fireworks outside of Sydney's New Years Eve.

It only cost $10 to get in or $25 for a family of five and most of that went to local charities.

If you intend to go -
Gates open at 3pm and close at 9pm.
Get there early if you want to park in the grounds.
There are food stalls (some rides and face painting too) but get in early as the queues are quite long after 6pm.
There is not much in Gunning itself - a pub, a petrol station and a few craft shops.

I wrote to thank the organisers for a great evening. They said that next year and future years will be even better! WOW!

http://gunningfireworksfestival.com.au/
peterSale is offline  
Old Sep 16th, 2014, 09:05 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for that info, Peter - it sounds really special, so will add it to my list of 'must do's. Di
di2315 is offline  
Old Sep 16th, 2014, 03:35 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,993
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 1 Post
Thanks Peter
One for the calendar if anyone is down that way. Another surprising Aussie gem tucked away.
Bokhara2 is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2014, 01:23 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yaayy... fireworks are awesome.
Thanks for the info. I can share it with my relatives in Aus.
andrewsmith03 is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2014, 03:43 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 722
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sounds awesome!
luvtravl is offline  
Old Sep 18th, 2014, 05:20 PM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,518
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It ally was. I think I saw more fireworks in one night than I have seen in my entire life!
peterSale is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
travelbug2000
United States
13
Jun 13th, 2016 03:20 PM
summervacation
United States
4
Jun 26th, 2011 07:28 AM
sperryweiner
United States
14
Jul 5th, 2008 01:20 PM
fiomar
United States
5
Jan 26th, 2008 08:49 AM
bhi
Europe
4
May 1st, 2006 05:25 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -