There are various permits and notifications that we need to make before any display. Department of Mines & Energy require 7 days notice while Queensland Transport (for water based displays) need a minimum of 32 days.

Therefore the following minimum timeframes are advisable:

• 9 days before display for land based displays
• 34 days before display for water based displays

Obviously, contracting an operator as early as possible is advisable as depending on the time of year, your preferred operator may be busy.

For the normal outdoor display, which includes aerial shells, a minimum of 65 metres from all spectators and occupied buildings is required. This will allow for one size of shell to be fired. If you have more area other size shells may also be fired.

If you have less area a ground based display may be suitable. In this case a minimum of 30 metres is required.

Indoor displays use close-proximity effects which allows for less distance to spectators and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Our minimum cost for an outdoor display (land based) is $2,000.

For displays on or near water our minimum show is $3,500*. The extra cost is partially due to the need to hire water police to secure the area. An extra benefit of using Spectrum Fireworks is that we have our own barges. This means that you save the cost of barge hire which is usually upwards of $1,500.

*Extra expenses are incurred for displays on the Brisbane River - please contact us for a quote.

Of course we think you should choose us!

If for some reason we can't perform your display, choose your operator carefully and make sure they conform to the following:

• Have current public liability insurance;
• Have the necessary licence for the display you require;
• Have good references; and most importantly
• Have a good safety record.

Spectrum Fireworks is licenced to sell fireworks. To buy fireworks from us you need to have a current Australian fireworks licence which must be sighted by us before any transaction.

To be involved in the pyrotechnics industry you don't actually need a licence but would need to work under the supervision of a licenced operator. However, you do need to be over 18 years of age to gain entry to a display site.

• Apprencticeship
  There is no such thing as an apprenticeship for pyrotechnicians. Staff generally start with working around the site on such things as security and clean up, progressing to set-up of displays and then onto firing of a show - all after appropriate training, of course.
  
  
• Training
  Training is given "in-house" and onsite. The industry/DME has developed a Certificate IV course and is currently looking for an RTO to deliver the material. More information can be found on the Department of Mines & Energy website at http://www.dme.qld.gov.au/mines/explosives.cfm.
  
  The most important attribute any pyro can have is COMMONSENSE along with a healthy respect for the products used.
  
  
• Qualifications
  After relevant training and study, a prospective pyrotechnician would be able to sit for their Shotfirers Licence with the Department of Mines & Energy. However obtaining this licence does not enable the holder to fire a display unless they are working on a job for a "Fireworks Operator" who has relevant licencing and insurance.

The pyrotechnics industry is quite small as Australia isn't a very large market - this means there is not many full-time jobs available. Wewould therefore recommend that you look at other work options and keep pyrotechnics as a part-time job/hobby, which may lead into a permanent position. For example, most pyrotechnic companies would have only one or two full time workers with another 10 to 20 part-timers.