Lake Okareka New Year's fireworks details confirmed

PREPARATION: Fireworks display organiser Dennis Falconer holds a 12 inch fireworks mortar which is used for the display. PHOTO / STEPHEN PARKER

The details for the Lake Okareka fireworks which will light up the community in colour on New Year's Eve are now being finalised with preparation underway.

Fireworks display organiser Dennis Falconer said there were still donations coming in and they had now reached about the $10,000 mark.

He said the permit allowed them to use up to $16,000 worth of fireworks and they were confident they would reach that target.

This would make the display comparable to a lot of the commercial displays in the area, he said.

Mr Falconer said it had been a "really exceptional" response from the community and he was rapt.

There would be two shows, one around 9pm for young families and then the main one at midnight.

He said the display would be a "pyro-musical", set to music with a big sound system floating on a barge on the lake.

Mr Falconer said the reason why a Lake Okareka display had not been done for four to five years was because he had been doing commercial shows around the country.

"It's great to be able to do one around home for the community so I'm rapt."

He said they were getting a lot of help from people in the community to set up the display and were now in full preparation mode.

If the weather was bad the fireworks display would be held the following night, he said.

Mr Falconer said they were still accepting donations, and would be right up until the day and the day after.

He said they would be keeping the cost to "an absolute bare minimum".

"I just think it's fantastic how the whole community has got behind this and think it's a very cool thing to do."

He said the display would be coming from five different sites on the water spread over about 800m, and was controlled from the shore with the latest wireless remote technology.

Mr Falconer said the Lake Okareka Rural Fire Force was instrumental in the set up and build-up of the display.

To help fund the display, go to www.okarekaruralfire.com/donate.