Canberrans are encouraged to take advantage of free travel on all Transport Canberra buses and light rail on Skyfire night, with more than 120,000 people expected to gather around Lake Burley Griffin on Saturday 16 March 2024.
The fireworks spectacular, an AmplifyCBR hosted event, is returning for the first time in five years. Attendees are expected to set up right around Lake Burley Griffin from the afternoon with live performances, food trucks and activities culminating with a night time 20-minute fireworks display.
Acting Minister for Transport, Tara Cheyne, said that it's important that Canberrans attending Skyfire 24 to rethink their routine and take advantage of free public transport across the regular network and additional shuttles which are coordinated to take people from the City and Woden Interchanges.
"Free travel across the entire Transport Canberra network on all buses and light rail services will begin from 5:00 pm and continue until the last service of the night," Minister Cheyne said.
"This includes additional shuttle buses which will take people directly from the City and Woden Interchanges to Regatta Point on the northside of the lake, and then to Commonwealth Avenue (Treasury Building stop and Albert Hall stop) on the southside of the lake."
"We know people are excited to support the return of such a longstanding and annual Canberra event, but please be aware that parking around the lake is limited for an event of this magnitude. Rethink your routine and take advantage of one of the many Rapid bus services to the lake, the direct shuttles from the City and Woden, connect from one of the 24 Park and Ride facilities across the ACT, or simply get active and walk, ride or scoot to embrace the festivities."
Additional public transport:
- Free travel on all Transport Canberra bus and light rail services will be available from 5:00 pm until last service (approximately 12.30 am for Rapid buses and 1.00 am for light rail services). Last service for local buses vary on weekends. Please check the bus timetable for last service times
- Shuttle buses will operate from City Interchange platform 3 and Woden Interchange platform 6 from 5:00 pm and take passengers to Regatta Point and Commonwealth Avenue (Treasury Building stop and Albert Hall stop) with return shuttles from these locations beginning at the conclusion of the event
- Additional light rail services and frequency will begin from 2:00 pm until 11:00 pm
Event road closure details:
From 6.00 am to 10.00 pm
- Parkes Way - westbound: from Kings Avenue to Commonwealth Avenue
- Wendouree Drive: from Constitution Avenue to Kings Avenue
- Parkes Place West car park, Barrine Drive car park, Regatta Point car park and Rond Terrace car park
From 9.00 am to 10.00 pm
- Barrine Drive: from Albert Street (west) to Albert Street (east)
- Albert Street (east): from Commonwealth Avenue to Barrine Drive 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (Marion, Walter Cafe, Canberra Region Visitor Centre & National Capital Exhibition guest parking excepted from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm)
- Regatta Place: from Albert Street to Barrine Drive 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (Marion, Walter Cafe, Canberra Region Visitor Centre & National Capital Exhibition guest parking excepted from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm)
From 12.00 pm to 10.00 pm
- Queen Elizabeth Terrace: from Parkes Place West to Parkes Place East
- King Edward Terrace: from Parkes Place West to Parkes Place East
- Parkes Place West: from the Questacon carpark to Queen Elizabeth Terrace
- Parkes Place East: from Queen Elizabeth Terrace to King Edward Terrace
From 2.00 pm to 10.00 pm
- Parkes Way - eastbound: from Coranderrk Street to Kings Avenue
From 8.25 pm to 8.55 pm
- Commonwealth Avenue - northbound: from Kaye Street to Vernon Circle.
- Commonwealth Avenue – southbound: from Vernon Circle to Queen Victoria Terrace
- Kings Avenue – northbound: from King Edward Terrace to Parkes Way
- Kings Avenue - southbound: from Morshead Drive to Blackall Street
- Detailed information including a map of the closure precinct can be found on the NCA website
Changes to bus services:
- The Rapid 2 will be diverted from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm due to road closures
- The Rapid 6 will be diverted from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm due to the road closures
- Local service 57 will be diverted from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm due to the road closures
- Local service 58 will be diverted from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm due to the road closures
- Multiple bus stops will be closed within the Parliamentary Triangle
- Details of impacted services and stops with maps can be found here
