Inside story of Gold Coast’s most festive street ‘Candy Cane Lane’
IT’S become known as the Gold Coast’s most festive street and has been dubbed ‘Candy Cane Lane’. But how did it all start?
Lifestyle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WHEN Jeffrey Evans walks out the front door of his Upper Coomera home every Christmas season he sees hundreds of families enjoying the festive wonderland he created.
The 65 year-old retiree is the force behind one of the most amazing Christmas lights displays on the Gold Coast.
So successful has his five-year campaign been to get his neighbours on board that now more than a third of the residents of Forest Oak Drive light up their homes every year and the street has even adopted an unofficial name — Candy Cane Lane.
On average, each of the 25 families that join in spent $3000 on lights and cop an extra $1000 on their power bills — just to make Christmas extra special for everyone.
“I just wanted the kids in the street to know what Christmas was about and I sent out newsletters to the neighbours to encourage them to put their lights up too,” said Mr Evans.
“Now it’s all lit up and families come from as far as the Sunshine Coast to watch the Christmas lights.”
The street is so popular with people that local real estate agents say it has even bumped up the price of properties.
Ray White Upper Coomera Real Estate Agent Peter Catanzariti said there was substantial interest from buyers in Forest Oak Dr due to its reputation as a Christmas destination.
“People want to buy where there is a community spirit and Candy Cane Lane is about that,” he said.
But it hasn’t always been that way and it took perseverance and determination — even to the point of fighting authority in the form of the Gold Coast City Council which is still playing Scrooge to this day.
This year it denied residents a permit to make the street a temporary one-way route to help cope with the large volume of traffic the lights displays have attracted.
Initially Mr Evans hung Christmas lights on every street light pole of Forest Oak Dr, but the council issued residents with notices to take down the street pole displays.
That was when Ivan and Julie Parker from number 49 stepped in and took it on themselves to buy white poles resembling candy canes for every house in the street.
“We couldn’t be Candy Cane Lane without candy cane and we weren’t going to stop,” said Mr Parker.
“It all snowballed from there and every year more and more people got involved.
“The cost doesn’t matter to us, as long as families continue to enjoy our Christmas displays.”
Mr Parker said he had extended multiple invites to local councillor Donna Gates and Mayor Tom Tate to come out and witness what Candy Cane Lane was really about.
“We just want to keep bringing families together to Candy Cane Lane and to give kids the best Christmas,” he said.
This year’s theme at Candy Cane Lane is Santa’s Workshop and the street is lit up until 10 o’clock every night.
The good Samaritans of Forest Oak Dr also raise money for a not-for-profit organisation each year with Autism Queensland on their list this Christmas.
Inside Broadbeach dining strip’s multimillion dollar revamp
A section of the Gold Coast’s popular dining hub in Broadbeach is about to undergo a no-expense-spared transformation. SEE WHERE AND WHO IS BEHIND IT
Major overhaul to Bali bombing site for Aussies
The site of the 2002 Bali bombing site, which claimed 88 Australian lives, is set to become a place to promote “tolerance”.