On a weekend full of festivities for south-east Queensland, locals were able to revel in the freedoms the state boasts.
Brisbane was bustling with excitement over Riverfire, the final event of the Brisbane Festival, making a comeback after a COVID-19 hiatus last year.
COVID restrictions put a capacity on numbers at locations such as South Bank, where people were required to check in with QR codes.
But it did not deter Queenslanders eager to celebrate.
Hundreds of thousands reveled in the largest fireworks display Brisbane had seen in two years.
Louise Bezzina, Artistic Director of the Brisbane Festival, said it was great to be back.
"We've got this amazing weather, we're in this incredible situation where we're free to do big events like this," Ms Bezzina said.
The fiesta of fireworks and flying display from the Australian Defence Force drew crowds in the hundreds of thousands to the riverbanks of Brisbane to celebrate the city.
Families lined the riverbank to watch.
24-year-old Gemma Carter came to celebrate with her brother and sister.
"I thought it was so cool, the plane was going through the city … and got so close to the water," Ms Carter said.
Two tonnes of fireworks
Two tonnes of fireworks were launched off eight city building rooftops, two bridges and five barges on the Brisbane River spanning South Bank to Kangaroo Point and the Story Bridge.
More than 25 pyrotechnicians and 50 production staff helped Foti Fireworks deliver the shows.
People had gathered in South Bank and Kangaroo Point from early Saturday morning to secure the perfect vantage point.
With South Bank Parklands reaching capacity before 6:00pm, police and organisers needed to redirect foot traffic to alternate locations to catch the iconic tradition.
As fireworks erupted from bridges, barges and rooftops, preparations were underway across town for the last round of the NRL finals at Lang Park.
Health authorities used the festivities to their advantage, extending hours at the state-run vaccination hub in South Brisbane, as well as making sure there were opportunities to get vaccinated at the footy.
Queensland has some of the fewest restrictions in the nation, with certain limitations only applying to the south-east.
There are 11 Local Government Areas within the South-East following stage 3 restrictions.
Masks are still needed indoors, but only when social distancing can't be achieved. Up to 100 people can gather in homes and 200 people at indoor weddings and funerals.
There are no density restrictions for venues that operate only outdoors.
The restrictions in place are a stark contrast with states such as New South Wales, where those in Sydney are still under strict stay at home rules.
Riverfire came back with a bang this year and proved to be another example of Queensland's fortunate position.
