Fireworks are a part of many people’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, but few have their hand in it quite like Laurie Reid. For the 14th straight year, the Queanbeyan-based pyrotechnician was set to light up the Batemans Bay sky, personally igniting thousands of dollars of fireworks.
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‘‘The show will be 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how energetic I’m feeling,’’ Mr Reid said. ‘‘There’s a good mix of colours and a lot of noise for the bigger kids.’’
Unlike the high-tech computer-programmed shows in many cities, Mr Reid can choose the combinations of the 600-700 shots as he goes.
‘‘We work out what would look good with what – you start off with some pretty ones, then have some big ones,’’ he said.
Bringing the new year in with a bang on the south coast has been a family tradition for Mr Reid, who works with ACT Fireworks, his wife Tane and their two children, aged 13 and 10.
The annual 9.30pm fireworks display at Corrigans Beach was the main family attraction in town after a quiet and overcast afternoon, with the show put on by Bells Amusements – who run the rides at the nearby fair – and sponsored by Berny’s Fish Shop across the road from the beach reserve.
Mr Reid said he threw a few extra crowd-pleasing crackers in for his regular clients.
‘‘Officially there’s $2000 to two-and-a-half grand [worth] there, but actually there’s about $4000 [worth],’’ he said.
The rain kept away before the big show this year, but Mr Reid said he was able to put on the display in most conditions.
‘‘It’s a bit harder to light them [in the rain], but I can still start them.’’
At nearby Duross, the Purohit family were having a quiet night surrounded by a happily grazing mob of kangaroos.
Mr Purohit, wife Jeni and their two children arrived at Batemans Bay on Boxing Day after Christmas in Canberra with Ms Purohit’s mother.
The Sydney family said they had stayed at Batemans for several holidays.
‘‘It depends on what’s available [for accommodation],’’ Mr Purohit said.
The south coast will have a cloudy New Year’s Day with a top of 28 degrees at Batemans Bay.