Fire trucks roll as Santa tours the Bellarine

FIRE trucks, flashing lights and a jolly man in red will be a familiar sight across the Bellarine this Christmas Eve, as local CFA brigades help Santa squeeze in one last round of visits before his big night.

Several brigades have confirmed the details for their annual Santa runs, with more announcements expected in the lead-up to Christmas.

In Indented Head, Santa will arrive at 6pm at the Batman Reserve Caravan Park, opposite the general store. He will then make his way through four local stops before reaching St Leonards at about 6.50pm.

Starting at the St Leonards Pier, Santa and his helpers will continue through the township’s key parks and playgrounds, ending their annual trek at the Regal Road playground at about 8.10pm.

The Ocean Grove Fire Brigade will deploy three trucks to reach as many children as possible, with all runs starting at 5pm and concluding about 6.20pm.

The first truck will begin at the Surf Beach near the Surf Life Saving Club and travel through to Ocean Grove Park.

The second will start at the Ocean Grove football ground and finish its run at the Roditis Drive end of the Begola Wetlands, while the third will set out from Woodlands Reserve before ending at the Kingston Downs drive playground.

In Wallington, the brigade will begin its Santa run at 4.30pm at Moorfield Park. They will then make stops at the BIG4 Bellarine Holiday Park and on the corner of Rhinds Road and Arrigo Drive, before finishing up at Devlins Park.

Santa is expected to spend between 10–15 minutes at each stop. Brigades may be required to respond to emergencies on the night, and schedules may chance at short notice.

Families are encouraged to keep an eye on their local brigade’s social media pages for updates and additional schedules, with the Queenscliff, Barwon Heads and Portarlington brigades expected to release the details for their own Santa runs soon.

Queenscliff historically hosts its Santa run on Christmas Day.