Bringing Christmas cheer to Bannockburn

BANNOCKBURN’S main thoroughfare is set to be dotted with holiday iconography this December as part of an initiative from the town’s planning volunteers.

Members of the Bannockburn Community Planning Group are looking to light up High Street with six metal Christmas trees, replete with lighting, later this year.

Beth Kershaw originated the idea, and said she was inspired following a visit to the Macedon Ranges during last year’s holiday season.

“I spent a weekend away at Lancefield and Romsey and I saw these Christmas trees on the side of the road that looked like they’d been decorated by the local schools and kinders,” she said.

“I put this forward and found out a few details about the Macedon Shire’s program and they were very encouraging.

“We want this to be a community-driven project and foster a pride and sense of community in the town.”

Members of the Bannockburn Men’s Shed are set to help build the structures.

The planning team is also looking to enlist local schools and businesses in decorating the trees.

Bannockburn Community Planning Group secretary Stuart McCallum said he hopes the project can become an annual offering for the town.

“We plan on building it up so we’ll do a bit more next year hopefully, and extend it further down the town,” he said.

“We’re a community group so we want to involve as many people from the community as possible.

“We’ll be contacting schools in the next couple days. It’ll give people a sense of participation rather than if it’s just something that’s been done for them.”

The Christmas tree initiative is one of two priority projects for the planning group alongside reviving the town’s newsletter.

Both endeavours are being supported by Golden Plains Shire with $10,000 in seed funding as part of the town’s community plan.

Mr McCallum estimated $2000 has been allocated to the tree project including $400 for materials.