Parade route trial
Saturday week’s Mardi Gras parade starting point has been moved, amid safety concerns in Hyde Park.
Reacting to the concerns of NSW Police, New Mardi Gras has moved the starting point to Whitlam Square, at the corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Sts.
To compensate, the parade route at the other end will be lengthened, to assure there is as much viewing space.
It is a trial which organisers hope may prevent a repeat of last year when drunken youths clashed with police in the park after the parade.
“New Mardi Gras supports keeping Mardi Gras night safe for all concerned,” NMG CEO Michael Rolik said.
“There are advantages in being able to lengthen the parade route at its end, allowing more room for spectators and better integration with the parade carnival, which takes place straight after the parade.”
The start area will now take up part of Commonwealth St, Clarke St, Nithsdale St, Alberta St, Goulburn St, and parts of Wentworth Ave.
Residents of these streets were invited to a February 16 meeting with organisers to discuss impacts upon them.
info: For more information visit www.mardigras.org.au/parade. For a full list of road closures visit
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/newsevents/mardi_gras_parade_2010_road_closures.html
does anyone know the actual (or estimated) distance of the parade route ?
A few years ago, whilst winding down the Parade in Moore Park , I had a full can of Jim Beam & Cola thrown at me from the sparsely populated group of drunken yobbo’s. Security and safety should be, and i believe are, of prime consideration to NMG organisers. Spread the cops out to the back streets, particularly behind Oxford and Flinders Streets. that last euphoric 200metres are a worry! Thanks to the MG marshalls who did wat they could despite the assailant melting back into the blackness he/she occupies.
Happy Mardi Gras Everyone from Hell xoxoxo
PS My white cane couldn’t locate the liquid refreshment so I’d really appreciate marshalls trained to assist in locating such generous donations for my parched & paraded-out throat. LOL.
Several years ago the BGF grand stand took up that section of Liverpool St at Hyde Park. There was very little activity in the park because you couldn’t see a thing with the grand stand there. Seems like the perfect solution for discouraging people away from Hyde Park. I’ve never understood why the BGF stand is in a different location every year.
Doug – if you have ever been in Hyde Park after the last float leaves, you would see that the concerns of the police are valid.
How about you come up from Melbourne and Volunteer in Start Doug? They can always use another volunteer.
Remembering the fiasco over Parade/Party split that was first sold as a new idea and later revealed as nothing more than a cock-up, what’s the betting the real story here is the same, and the change has nothing to do with the stated reason?
I think its not Elizabeth and Liverpool but College and Liverpool so the top corner of Hyde Park rather than all the length of Hyde Park. Not sure about the increased number of smaller / back streets that will be being used to get into the parade area and harder to police.
I think the concern for the police moving the parade this year will have no impact at all for problems… This year there will be even more for the police to deal with them having to disperse the crowd after the parade and no party straight after the event for the community,only the Parade Participants, New Mardi Gras Members and Volunteers going to the Parade Carnival,I have worked in a Gay venue on oxford street for 6 years now and can see the street assaults being sky high now for the Gay Community, We will be on the street all night instead of thousands of us going the party like years earlier.Also if the weather is like it was is ’08 extremely hot day, High humidity and all of the feral underage ruffnuts roaming the streets its a recipe for disaster.
It is a nonsense to believe that moving the parade away from the park is going to increase safety. Police may have clashed with drunken youth – but there will be drunken youth anywhere. It seems that the city of Sydney is doing its best to push the parade further away from the city center. The Liverpool St/Hyde Park crowd, are often the places where the parade gets some of the best responses. By the way – the RTA link in this article doesn’t work.
Editor’s Note: Thanks Pete, we have corrected the link.
I’m confused. Is it starting at Whitlam Square or at the corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Streets? They’re two different locations.
Either way, the annual Hyde Park Yobbo-fest will still happen.
Maybe it is time afterall to move it to Homebush and sell tickets. A controlled environment, and potential for NMG to sell tickets… Perfectly in keeping with NMG’s increasingly corporate culture…
I agree. This makes absolutely no sense at all.
How is moving the parade start two blocks east going to stop the bogans brawling in Hyde Park ??????I don’t get it.