BALLARAT'S Australia Day extravaganza will feature fireworks unlike anything seen before — at even multi-million dollar displays on Sydney Harbour — according to the pyrotechnics expert who is preparing his 15th show at Lake Wendouree.Adelaide-based Robert Balfour told The Courier yesterday he was very excited about what will explode in the skies above Ballarat for the 3BA Skyworks Spectacular on January 26.Click the button for Ballarat Australia Day events “This year is really going to be big,” he said.“In 1999, I was the first person to bring water shells into the country and I first used them at Ballarat — this year will also feature some shells which no one has seen before.”Click here to view a gallery of last year’s fireworksMr Balfour said the Australia Day’s fireworks would combine land and water elements to create the best pyrotechnics display ever seen in Ballarat.“I always like working on Lake Wendouree because it’s such an intimate setting,” he said.“We always have great crowds but because this year is going to be special, I’d expect an even bigger crowd.Mr Balfour said the entire show will be choreographed to music and will feature new shells imported from Japan.“There’s going to be a lot of new effects, including shooting a rabbit face into the sky, a giant smiley face and what we call ‘ghost’ shells,” he said.“I’ve performed for royalty and heads of state all over the world but I’m very excited about coming to Ballarat this year.”Mr Balfour said his company was running a competition for the best photograph taken at the Ballarat fireworks on Australia Day.To enter, send your pictures to Robert Balfour at Pyroshow International via sales@smartmouse.com.au