NORTH Bendigo’s Rob Clark has faced an up-and-down 2017.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But he is finishing the year on a high, after he won the Lansell Square Christmas Lights Competition on bendigoadvertiser.com.au.
The 240 Holdsworth Road display has earned Mr Clark gift cards worth $500 from Lansell Square.
He has been in and out of hospital this year with heart issues, and had been back at home only a week when he started working on this year’s creation.
Mr Clark said a young neighbour, Luke, convinced him to put up Christmas lights this year.
“Between him and my neighbours, they helped me get stuff up. In the end, it was fantastic,’’ he said.
Mr Clark has won the Bendigo Advertiser’s Christmas lights competition twice before.
See Mr Clark’s previous winning creations here:
But he said he was totally shocked to win the reader votes for favourite display this year.
“I couldn’t believe it,’’ he said.
Mr Clark said a feature of this year’s lights was the fact people could walk through the display, rather than only admiring it from the footpath.
The interactive display includes a “Christmas cow”, kangaroos and koalas.
“It’s all slapped together, but it came together really well,’’ Mr Clark said.
“Anything can happen. It’s weird and wacky.’’
Another highlight for young children is the promise of candy canes.
Mr Clark said every year he and his wife Veronica handed out between 600 and 1000 candy canes to children.
And it is the children who Mr Clark does the lights for each year.
“It’s just fun – it’s absolutely fun,’’ he said.
“I love seeing the enjoyment the kids get out of it.’’
Mr Clark said he normally spent a fortnight preparing lights displays. But the thought process takes months.
In fact, he has already started to think about next year’s lights – but is keeping tight-lipped on the details.
“You never know what’s going to happen,’’ he said.
Central Victoria’s 2017 Christmas lights map:
Mr Clark said he was grateful to his neighbours for helping him bring his display to life.
“I love what I do,’’ he said. “It’s a great time of the year.”