Mallee St, Quakers Hill: Peter and Lauraine Overton’s Christmas lights ending in 2023

After 30 years of transforming their humble western Sydney home into a Christmas extravaganza, the couple behind the iconic display has decided to string their fairy lights one last time.

Proud owners Peter and Lauraine Overton at the front of their Quakers Hill home.

After 30 years of transforming their humble western Sydney home into a Christmas extravaganza, the couple behind the iconic display has decided to string their fairy lights one last time.

Peter and Lauraine Overton’s humble home on Mallee St, Quakers Hill, has been the epicentre of festive cheer since 1992 with thousands of dazzling lights, reindeers and even a snow machine illuminating the normally quiet street.

Mr Overton said while he did not want the festivities to stop, he experienced “aches and pains” in his knees after years of hanging 46,000 lights every December.

“I’m turning 80 next year and my wife doesn’t want me crawling around on the roof anymore,” he said.

Proud owners Peter and Lauraine Overton at the front of their Quakers Hill home. Picture: Christian Gilles

“I don’t want it to end but I’ve now got a couple of boys who help do the roof while my wife decorates the windows.”

While it takes Mr Overton two months to transform his home, he said their first year was a passion project with his neighbour, the late Don Heeley, to celebrate Christmas in western Sydney.

“I’d go into the city and would see the window displays at Grace Bros and thought ‘why don’t we have anything like that back home’,” he said.

“I told my neighbour and we decorated our homes and we only started with a little train, some reindeers on the roof and some angels … now the house is completely covered.”

7 Mallee St, Quakers Hill is adorned with thousands of Christmas lights every year. Picture: Christian Gilles

Peter and Lauraine Overton have adorned their front yard in Quakers Hill with bedazzling lights since 1992. Picture: John Appleyard

Peter Overton with his good mate and neighbour, the late Don Heeley, in 2012.

The father-of-three, and grandfather to nine said he would miss adding pieces to his collection and seeing the community gather together in the street.

“A lot of the community don't want me to stop so when they go out there every night – they come and congratulate me for all the years I’ve been doing it,” he said.

“We added to it every year and it got to this size, and I just like Christmas and I like doing it for the kids and the grandkids,” he said.

The Overtons, who have been married for more than 50 years, also pride themselves on giving back every Christmas by raising more than $70,000 for The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

Visitors look into Santa's workshop at the Overton’s home. Picture: John Appleyard

“When my grandson was three years old his father accidentally pulled a tea bag out of a cup of tea and it went down my grandson’s neck and left him with bad burns,” Mr Overton said.

“They took him to Westmead Hospital and I thought they did a great job so we’ve been raising money for them for about 20 years.”

When it came to their last year illuminating Mallee St, Mr Overton said the community would have to wait for a “surprise”.

“They’ll have to wait and see, maybe there will be a surprise. I just want everyone to be happy and enjoy the lights,” he said.

The Overtons home has been a regular trophy winner in Blacktown Council’s Christmas lights competition, taking home the Champion of Champions award consecutively for five years.