Early fireworks steal the show at Nowingi Place

MILDURA | New Year’s Eve, The 9:30pm fireworks at Mildura’s Nowingi Place weren’t just a warm-up,  they were the night’s biggest family moment, drawing a huge crowd of locals and visitors keen to celebrate early with the kids.

While no official attendance figure had been released at the time of writing, the scene in the lead-up to the 9.30pm show felt very much like the “thousands” Council anticipated would turn out for the event.  Families filled the open areas with picnic rugs and camp chairs, kids clutched glow gear, and the atmosphere stayed relaxed and easy-going, exactly the kind of community vibe Nowingi Place has become known for.

A perfect “big moment” for little ones

This year’s two-show format once again proved why the Nowingi Place celebration is such a winner for young families: the early fireworks gave kids the full thrill of New Year’s Eve without the midnight stamina test. And it showed immediately afterwards.

Crowd noticeably thins after 9.30pm — in the best way

As soon as the early fireworks wrapped up, a steady stream of families began heading home — happy, satisfied, and beating the late-night slump. Those who stayed noticed the difference straight away: the crowd was still strong, but clearly smaller for the lead-in to midnight, giving the whole precinct a little more breathing space.

For parents, it was the best of both worlds: a safe, family-friendly celebration and then home to bed, while others stayed on to enjoy live entertainment, food trucks, and the midnight finale. 

A safe, friendly celebration on the riverfront

The event’s drug and alcohol-free setup helped keep the mood family-focused, with plenty happening across the evening. from entertainment and activities to bites and sweet treats, all building toward the two fireworks moments at 9.30pm and midnight. 

The takeaway

If the size of the 9.30pm crowd was anything to go by, the early fireworks have become the main event for many families, a smart, thoughtful way to make New Year’s Eve welcoming for all ages, and a reminder that Mildura does community celebrations incredibly well.

Rainbow’s Llew Schilling Silo Art: Australia’s Silo Trail — Taken Inside-Out

If you’ve ever pulled up to a silo mural, grabbed a quick photo and hit the road again… Rainbow has just changed the game…

Right in the heart of town at 11 Bow Street, the Llew Schilling Silo Tourism Development Initiative turns a classic silo art stop into a full experience, complete with a huge exterior mural, immersive internal artworks, and a purpose-built tower and viewing platforms so you can actually step inside and see it from multiple angles. 

What makes Rainbow different?

This project, which commenced in 2025, was awarded to James Voller (Creative Director of Collide Public Art Initiative) after a national expression-of-interest process that attracted submissions from across Australia. 

The big point of difference is what’s inside: Rainbow’s build includes an internal art activation within one of the silo bins — described as a first for the popular silo art genre. 

 The artists behind the project

Interior / Creative lead:

Inside the silo, Collide Public Art (lead artist James Voller) delivers the internal artwork and lighting concept, inspired by flowers from Llew Schilling’s garden, suspended in the immense silo space. 

Exterior mural:

The external artwork is by Geoffrey Carran, a long-term Collide collaborator and one of Australia’s leading mural artists. 

The mural is inspired by local elements including a Euphorbia trigona cactus (from Llew’s garden) and the Mallee Emu-wren, a species native to the region. 

How you experience it: platforms + tower + views

To make the internal artwork viewable, the development includes two viewing platforms inside the silo bins — at roughly 5m and 20m — connected to a 25m tower and viewing platform built beside the silo. 

The tower is designed with accessibility in mind: stairs wrap around an elevator, so more visitors can reach the viewpoints and take in the big-sky Mallee panorama. 

At the top end, council info notes the experience reaches 28 metres, where you step out to expansive views across Rainbow and the southern Wimmera Mallee — before heading into the upper internal viewing point. 

Inside the silo: an immersive “lightbox” effect

Inside the western silo bin, the artwork uses images printed on suspended Digiglass panels. When illuminated, they transform the interior into a striking, immersive space — something you don’t normally associate with grain silos at all. 

Who’s behind it (and why it matters)

Projects like this don’t happen without a lot of local backing. The development has been driven through Hindmarsh Shire Council in partnership with the community and supporters, and it has been backed through funding including the Victorian Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Program (Flagship Projects) alongside council. 

Council’s updates also highlight Llew Schilling’s role in enabling the project, describing it as a long-held dream coming to life for the benefit of Rainbow. 

Visitor info: location, hours, and access

Location: 11 Bow Street, Rainbow 

Opening hours (tower/internal):

• 7:00am–7:00pm (April–September)
• 6:00am–9:00pm (October–March)  

Good to know:

• The tower/internal access is controlled by an automatic gate and is free, but you’ll need an access code (available via an online form or recorded message).  
• The exterior artwork can be viewed anytime from the carpark without a code.

New Year’s Eve in Sunraysia: fireworks, river sunsets, and a big night out

If you’re spending New Year’s Eve in Sunraysia, you’ve picked the right place. The Murray River sets the scene, the evenings are made for being outdoors, and there’s enough happening across the region to suit everyone. From families chasing early fireworks to adults looking for a proper “dress up and make a night of it” experience.

The weather is lining up nicely too, Mildura’s forecast for New Years Eve is sunny, breezy and not as hot, with a top around 32°C and a much cooler night.

The main event: Nowingi Place fireworks + family fun

Mildura’s big community celebration returns to Nowingi Place, with the action starting from 6pm and rolling right through to midnight. 

Fireworks are set for:

• 9:30pm (perfect for families)
• Midnight (the full countdown moment)  

Expect food and dessert trucks, plenty of entertainment, and that classic New Year’s energy where everyone’s out enjoying the warm night air together. 

Want something different? PB Mundoo’s NYE cruise

If you’d rather celebrate on the river, there’s a special PB Mundoo New Year’s Eve Cruise listed on

Events Mildura — and it’s made for adults who want dinner, entertainment, and the Murray drifting by while the year ticks over.

What’s on:

• Adult-only
• $150 per person
• Boarding 7:30pm, depart 8:00pm, return 12:15am
• Carvery buffet meal + dessert selection
• Live theatre show from Ratbagz Comedy Theatre: “Spaced Out Aliens: Star Trek the Musical”  

It’s the kind of night where you can skip the running around: step aboard, settle in, eat well, laugh a lot, and welcome the New Year with the river right beside you. 

For more information visit - https://www.paddlesteamers.com.au/

Dinner first: Sunraysia’s restaurants make NYE easy

Of course, New Year’s Eve is also the perfect excuse to back our local hospitality. Whether you’re chasing a relaxed early dinner before fireworks, a long “let’s make a night of it” meal, or cocktails and share plates, our restaurant scene shines this time of year.

Local tip: book ahead — especially if you want that sweet spot of an early sitting, then a stroll by the river, then fireworks.

Finish the night under the stars: camp the Murray

If you’re up for something a bit more old-school Sunraysia, swap crowds for camp chairs and head for a

riverside camp area after the celebrations.

A favourite local option is Kings Billabong / Psyche Bend, where dispersed bush camping can put you right near the Murray — the kind of place you can sit back, listen to the water, and let the New Year arrive quietly. 

However you do it — Nowingi fireworks, PB Mundoo’s NYE cruise, a cracking local dinner, or a night camped along the Murray — this is one of those Sunraysia nights that reminds you why we love living (and holidaying) here.

Psyche Pumps Running Day is back on New Year’s Day 2026!

If you’re looking for a proper Sunraysia way to kick off the year, complete with fresh air, river country, and something that’ll genuinely impress the kids and the grown-ups put Psyche Pumps Running Day on your New Year’s Day plans.

On New Years Day, the historic Psyche Bend Steam Pumping Station will be up and running from 10:30am to 3:00pm. (See map)  

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A quick rundown of what’s happening on the day?

This isn’t a “look at it through a fence for 30 seconds” kind of event. The Running Day is when you get to see the whole place come alive—steam, movement, sound, and the kind of old-school engineering that makes you wonder how anyone built this stuff in the first place.

Event details:

• Date: New Year’s Day — Jan 1, 2026 

• Time: 10:30am–3:00pm 

• Where: Psyche Bend Steam Pumping Station, end of Psyche Bend Rd, Nichols Point (Kings Billabong Reserve) 

• Entry: Adults $5 | Kids Free | 

• Info: https://www.facebook.com/psychepumps

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Why the Psyche Pumps matter to Sunraysia (and why they’re not “just an old machine”)

It’s easy to forget, driving around all this productive country, that our region wasn’t always vineyards, orchards, and paddocks doing their thing year after year. Water is what made this place possible at scale, and the Psyche Bend pumps were right at the heart of that story.

The pumps were built as part of the Chaffey irrigation settlement, lifting water from the Murray River up into Kings Billabong, which then fed a wider network of channels out to farms. That system was designed to raise water in stages and supply huge areas of farmland which was seriously ambitious stuff for the late 1800s. 

They were first installed/commissioned in 1891, and they helped provide irrigation water through to 1959, when electric pumps took over. 

Without these pumps, there most likely wouldn’t have been Mildura as a region as we know it they were “the life blood of the district.”
That’s not hype. That’s the real impact of infrastructure that turned a tough landscape into a thriving community and agricultural powerhouse.

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Last year I went along… and I honestly loved it

I made the trip out to last year’s New Year’s Running Day, and it was one of those local experiences that reminds you why living (or holidaying) in Sunraysia is special.

There’s something about:

• seeing the machinery actually working (not just sitting silent in a shed),

• chatting with the volunteers who know every bolt and valve,

• and feeling that connection between the river, the billabong, and the farms that still feed families today.

It’s a relaxed, friendly day out, people wandering through, families having a look, camera phones going, kids wide-eyed at the noise and motion, and plenty of “how does that even work?” moments.

And yep, I filmed it. If you want a sneak peek before you go (or you want to send it to someone who should come with you), you can watch my video below.

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If you go: a few local tips

• Go early-ish so you’ve got time to watch, wander, and ask questions without rushing.

• Bring water, a hat, and comfy shoes (it’s New Year’s Day in Sunraysia… you know the drill).

• Take the kids—this is one of those rare heritage things that’s genuinely interesting because it’s loud, moving, and real.

• Make it a day on the river: Kings Billabong Reserve is a beautiful spot to slow down and start the year properly.

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See you there?

New Year’s Day is already a tradition for a lot of locals and this is a ripper way to make it yours too.

Psyche Pumps Running Day
Jan 1, 2026 | 10:30am–3:00pm | Nichols Point (Kings Billabong Reserve)