New Year’s Eve fireworks in Lorne cancelled

New Year’s Eve fireworks in Lorne have been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.

The Surf Coast Shire has pulled the pin on the publicly funded fireworks in response to the pandemic gathering restrictions.

Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Stapleton said the decision was made to protect the health of the community and ensure the coastal town and popular tourist destination remained open this summer season.

“While it’s disappointing, we need to put the health of our community first and recommend people continue to social distance and follow the Chief Health Officer’s guidelines so that we can remain open this season and continue to enjoy zero case numbers,” Ms Stapleton said.

“The decision has been made in consultation with other agencies, such as Victoria Police, who will already have stretched resources along the coast this year.”

The news follows suit of other major summer events in Lorne such as Falls Festival and the Pier to Pub, which have also announced their cancellations of their usual format.

“As people start to re-engage, this year’s celebrations may be about creating more intimate gatherings with close friends and families.

“We look forward to returning to a time when larger-scale events are possible again and the return of fireworks in Lorne for 2021.”