User:Skylighter Fireworks/sandbox

Skylighter Fireworks
Skylighter Fireworks is an approved Queensland, Australia Firework Contractor company headquartered in South East Queensland, close to the City of Brisbane and The Gold Coas t. It has been a family-run business since 2000 and registered in Australia in 2002. The company's main fireworks office and operations are in Buccan, with a government storage factory in Helidon, Lockyer Valley. Skylighter Fireworks also operates offices and storage factories on Hamilton Island and In Townsville, Queensland.

History
The origins of Skylighter Fireworks trace back to Brisbane, Queensland, where Maxwell Brunner, the company's founder, was inspired by the nightly EXPO 88 fireworks display over the Brisbane River. The company was founded out of a passion for fireworks by Maxwell Brunner and Denzil Brunner, who built the display company from scratch. Their inspiration stemmed from fond memories of celebrations such as Guy Fawkes Night and Cracker Night from their time in South Africa.

Skylighter Fireworks gained recognition for its performance at the Buddha Birthday celebrations, the largest Buddha celebration outside of Asia, held on the Brisbane River. This success propelled the company into contention for organizing the Brisbane Southbank New Year's Eve Celebrations at Southbank in 2011,Securing the contact over major established Australian Fireworks display companies including Bob Blore Pyrotechnics and FireworX by Ian Ridel

In 2013, Skylighter Fireworks acquired BOB BLORE PYROTECHNICS, merging the company into Skylighter Fireworks and expanding its presence to Mackay and Hamilton Island. The company further diversified its offerings by introducing the Galaxis Gas Flame System to the Brisbane Broncos and National Rugby League in 2014, marking the beginning of its "Changing the Game" phase in sports presentation innovation. The Innovation and development has been copied and implemented across multiple Australian sports codes and can still be seen at most national, state and international levels including for Cricket Australia, Rugby Australia and the AFL

In 2015, the Queensland Pyrotechnics Industry had the biggest shake up with Skylighter Fireworks acquiring FireworX by Ian Reidel. The two biggest Queensland companies came under the new banner of Skylighter FireworX, introducing a new era of pyrotechnic service to the Queensland and Australian market.

In 2015, The Queensland Royal National Show appointed Skylighter Fireworks to deliver a ground breaking 360 degree, arena spectacular. The Royal National Show is Queensland Largest Event with over 400,000 people attending in August. Using the same FireOne technology that delivers Olympic opening ceremonies, the next 7 years of the EKKA were considered the best arena spectacular in Australia. Innovations included fireworks fired from truss and cranes, flying pyrotechnics, and live horses. The Show became so successful that Michelle Collins of the Courier Mail cited “ FORGET Riverfire, the Ekka fireworks are blowing them out of the water”

2019-2020 Bushfires
The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season or Black Summer was one of the most intense and catastrophic fire seasons on record in Australia. It included a period of bushfires in many parts of Queensland, which, due to its unusual intensity, size, duration, and uncontrollable dimension, was considered a megafire by media at the time. Exceptionally dry conditions, a lack of soil moisture, and early fires in Queensland led to an early start to the bushfire season, beginning in June 2019. Hundreds of fires burnt, the most severe fires peaked from December 2019 to January 2020. The fireworks industry reputation was badly damaged at this time, from perceived risk to the environmental conditions and lack of public knowledge about safety. Nick Mitri who would later become a director of Skylighter Fireworks describes the impact on the industry as “Devastating” in an article Courier Mail- 27 December 2019.

On December 7, 2019, disaster struck when an out of control bush fire started on a property adjacent to an official explosive storage magazine ripped through Bundamba. Three Fireworks Explosives Storage magazines were impacted by the out of control fire, with one magazine exploding. Several suburbs were ordered to evacuate including Bundamba, North Booval and Karalee in Ipswich, Queensland. A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said ""The fire could have a significant impact on the community. A shipping container in the area, containing fireworks, has already exploded." "severe fire conditions were expected and conditions are now very dangerous and firefighters may soon be unable to prevent the fire advancing. The fire may pose a threat to all lives directly in its path."

The investigation and report that was delivered by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and Queensland Explosives Inspectorate (now Resource Safety and Health Queensland) showed that on Saturday 7th December,  four (4) licensed explosives magazines containing fireworks were caught in a bushfire on a property at Bundamba. One of the magazines was engulfed by the uncontrolled fire resulting in the fireworks igniting and destroying the magazine. A bushfire started as a result of a house fire located on the neighbouring property. The fire quickly became uncontrollable in the dry hot weather conditions and strong winds. The fire quickly spread out of control despite the efforts of many people in the area.

Skylighter Fireworks worked with several experts from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and Queensland Explosives Inspectorate (now Resource Safety and Health Queensland) to deliver significant changes to magazine designs and manufacture with in the Queensland Explosive Legislation.

2020- Covid 19 Pandemic
After dealing with the brutality and devastation of the 2019-2020 Bushfire season, the next challenge for the Skylighter Fireworks was the Global Pandemic. Skylighter Fireworks were delivering the opening round of the NRL Season in Townsville, Queensland when the Australian Government began the lockdowns. With in a week, the Australian event industry have come to a complete stand still. The Australian sports codes restart with significant health restrictions and moving into “bubbles” in Queensland kept the pyrotechnics industry in play with Skylighter Fireworks looking after Major sports in Queensland, as Queensland had one of the better Covid-19 health responses. Maxwell Brunner worked with stakeholders to bring back events and fireworks to Queensland. "There are opportunities around shooting high-altitude fireworks from remote sites, so whether it's on barges out to sea or whether it's on city rooftops, mountain tops, lookouts, Fireworks can be viewed from kilometres away so we are thinking outside the box about what we can do." Maxwell Brunner

In August of 2020, Skylighter Fireworks approached the EKKA, that was not proceeding due to the pandemic, to deliver a “Full Screen, Socially distanced” Fireworks display from the grounds of the Brisbane Showgrounds. “Tony (Laffan) mentioned Max Brunner from Skylighter Fireworks had offered to donate a pyro show on the eve of what would have been Ekka 2020 given the event had to cancel due to COVID restrictions, and in passing that 7 News Brisbane were in negotiation to take the show live to air,” – Ray Moss, Norwest Productions

“Echoing Ray’s comments, our motivation was about not only providing a brief reprieve to Queensland but also bringing our staff together again,” added Max Brunner from Skylighter Fireworks. “Sixteen pyrotechnicians worked on the display in the lead-up and on the day. The feedback about the positive effects on their mental health was great and has had a lasting effect. For us, that was just one of the major factors in donating this show. It was also a way for Ekka to stay at the forefront of people’s minds.” Max Brunner- Skylighter Fireworks

2021 and Onwards
On July 1, 2021, Nicholas Mitri of Fireworks of Africa and Julian Rushworth joined Skylighter Fireworks as Directors and began the transition as Denzil Brunner began his retirement from the fireworks Industry.

On July 21, 2021, the City of Brisbane was announced as the host of the XXXV Olympiad, Brisbane 2032. Skylighter Fireworks were given just 10 days to produce a city wide fireworks display from 5 barges, 5 rooftops. The display was timed to the announcement live from Tokyo that included a complex video link-up from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as well as a final report from Kristin Kloster, Chair of the Future Host Commission for the Games of the Olympiad Green, gold and marron fireworks also erupted over the Brisbane skyline to mark the occasion.

On the 4th 2022, saw Australia only International Fireworks Competition return to Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast. Since Skylighter Firework's International inception in 2016, Seafire was been a major economic driver for the City of Gold Coast. In 2018, Seafire overtook the cities largest New years Eve Event  “SeaFire was now the largest single-day public spectacle on the city’s events calendar” Surfers Paradise Alliance CEO Mike Winlaw- Gold Coast Bulletin June 4, 2018

The company remains a family run business, with over 10 full time employees and over 50 casual pyrotechnicians.

Facility
Skylighter Fireworks facility is set in a tightly controlled enclosure government magazine. Safety is kept at a premium by using caution signs, eight-foot-high barbed wire fencing, and huge sand-and-gravel barriers.

The workshop in Buccan, Queensland is the special effects and logistic hub for the company.

Technology
Skylighter Fireworks has adapted the use of technology, including the use of computers to electronically fire the shells. Skylighter Fireworks invested heavily in FireOne, Magic FX and Galaxis equipment to continue with state of the art technology. Skylighter Fireworks was also the first company to heavily invest in multimedia sports presentation, integrating lights, screens, ribbons, lights, lasers, pyrotechnics and special effects.

Notable Displays
Skylighter Fireworks has produced fireworks displays for various local and international events, including:

2024- Brisbane Broncos NRL Season

2024- Brisbane Heat Big Bash Season

2024- Brisbane Lions AFL

2023- Wallabies, Rugby Australia

2023- SeaFire: Surfers Paradise International Fireworks Competition

2023- Brisbane New Years Eve Fireworks

2023- City of Gold Coast New Years Eve Fireworks

2023- City of Townville New Years Eve Fireworks

2022- Ekka Royal Brisbane Show- Most acclaimed arena show in Australia

2021- Brisbane 2032 Olympic Bid Win- Brisbane Australia

2020- AFL Grand Fina l. The Gabba

2018 – Men’s International T20 Cricket- Melbourne Cricket Ground

2018 -Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Activations. 2018 Commonwealth Games

2018 – Freechoice Candy Man Party (QLDs Largest Fireworks Display)

2016 – Philippines International Pyromusical Competition. Manila

2012 – Philippines International Pyromusical Competition, Silver award winner

2010 - 10th Anniversary Macau Special Administrative Regional Day

2001 – Q150– 150th Anniversary of Queensland Proclamation Day

2001 – Goodwill Games Opening and Closing Ceremony