Borough “beacon” lights the Queenscliffe sky

RESIDENTS of Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff enjoyed the return of the Borough of Queenscliffe’s much-loved Christmas tradition, the lighting of the Point Lonsdale Tree.

Hundreds of residents, members of Queenscliff Fire Brigade and Queenscliff Point Lonsdale Lions Club members packed out Point Lonsdale Primary School’s outside stage to kick off a return to the traditional lighting of the town’s 40-metre high Norfolk Pine.

Located at the end of Grimes Road on Point Lonsdale Road, the heritage listed tree will light up the night sky until the end of the year.

Newly appointed Mayor of Queenscliffe Isabelle Tolhurst opened the night’s proceedings as Mayor, and the the heritage-listed tree, located at the end of Grimes Road on Point Lonsdale Road, will now light up the night sky until the end of the year,

“It was very nice for the tree lighting to be one of my first official duties of my mayoralty and it was great to see the tree back in what many people would call it its home,” the Mayor said.

“It had been a few years that the tree wasn’t delayed significantly or relocated due to COVID.

“There were so many people there, so many families and kids, we even had Santa down from the North Pole. They were all so energised by the lighting of the tree, it’s a real beacon for the community here.”

Proceedings begun at 7.30pm with Community Carols sung by local students, before the lighting was conducted an hour later.

A twist compared to previous years, the resident that flicked the light switch was decided via a raffle, as opposed to a pre-selected member of the public.

“With onlookers so close to the tree, that proximity is really what attracts people down to the event,” Cr Tolhurst added.

“That was certainly the case for Isla Chappell, the young girl whose name was drawn out of the hat.

“So, for her to be able to hit that button and a couple metres over, see the tree light up, that was certainly the highlight for me and certainly many others.”