Destination Kiama is getting in early and calling on Kiama Council to guarantee that the New Year’s Eve fireworks display will be reinstated this year.

The Tourism and Economic Advisory Committee met recently and resolved to request Council to ensure that $94,000 in funding is allocated to deliver the Sky Show in the 2026-27 budget.

TEAC chair Matt Brown said TEAC voted “unanimously and emphatically” for the immediate return of the fireworks display after describing Kiama as a ghost town on New Year’s Eve after Council’s decision to cancel the event due to the financial constraints brought about by the NSW Government-imposed Performance Improvement Order.

“All members are wanting to see the re-introduction of the New Year's Eve fireworks and Sky Show,” he said.

“Destination Kiama moved a motion requesting Council put fireworks in its upcoming budget for the next financial year.

“We do not want to go through another New Year's Eve where our streets are empty and a lot of the shops are empty as well. New Year's Eve fireworks in Kiama is an institution - many local families look forward to it and plan around it.

“They love having fireworks in their own backyard. It saves them from travelling outside the area and of course it attracts a lot of visitors as well.

“I'm looking forward to putting this motion in front of my fellow Councillors and working out a way so we can find money in the upcoming budget to ensure that this tradition continues well into the future.”

Cr Brown said he had been inundated with robust feedback from locals over the lack of atmosphere in the town on New Year’s Eve without the fireworks.

“Whether I'm at a local coffee shop or doing my surf patrols, the feedback is very strong in people’s disappointment that this year there were no fireworks,” he said.

“The sad thing is when we didn't deliver fireworks, Wollongong spent extra effort promoting their fireworks and we also had a lot of rogue fireworks getting set off around the local area, which is just unsafe.

“I believe that is a result of us not providing the fireworks that we usually do.

“Our New Year's Eve fireworks is the biggest event in Kiama by a long shot. It attracts close to 20,000 people and more than half of them are local residents.

“Our local fireworks are a complete community event. For instance, Jamberoo Rural Fire Brigade manage the parking at the Leisure Centre and people donate to them.

"The last couple of years we've had local surf clubs use the fireworks to sell raffle tickets and to raise funds for much-needed life-saving equipment.

“This event is more than simply a 9 o'clock fireworks. It is a significant community gathering. A lot of these things you can't measure but if they're not there you certainly feel the disappointment.”

Councillors Yasmin Tatrai and Erica Warren are also set to enter motions regarding plans for New Year’s Eve fireworks at the 17 February meeting which could be superseded by TEAC’s proposal.

TEAC is not in favour of organising a ticketed event for the Sky Show due to the location of the event at Black Beach.

“We understand that this is a large expense and we're looking forward to sponsorships from local businesses and contributions from businesses to mitigate the cost to Council,” Cr Brown added.

Kiama businesswoman Anne-Marie Esler has recently joined TEAC as Kiama Business Network’s representative, replacing KBN president Cathryn Lyall with Cr Warren and local businessman Ryan Rievely also leaving the committee.

“We welcome Anne-Marie Esla as a new board member on Destination Kiama and I certainly valued her contribution in her first meeting,” Brown said.

“And I'd like to thank Cathy Lyall, Ryan Rieveley and Councillor Warren for the contributions they made to Destination Kiama over the past year.”