St Helena Allumbra Drive Christmas lights forced to shut down due to council bureaucracy

AN iconic Melbourne Christmas lights display that attracts thousands of visitors will not run with this year. The organiser of the event blames council bureaucracy, as residents call on the mayor to use ‘common sense’ and listen to the community.

AN ICONIC Christmas lights display in Melbourne’s northeastern suburbs has been forced to shut down due to council bureaucracy.

The Allumbra Drive Christmas lights in St Helena near Greensborough will not run for the first time since 1999.

Organiser Giulian De Vincentis told the Herald Sun the event was not going ahead this year.

“Every year we fight with the council for four to five months to get a permit,” he said.

“Trying to fight with the compliance and permits, it has got a bit too hard for us.

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Allumbra Drive Christmas lights organiser Giulian De Vincentis, with his display in 2016. Picture: Mark Dadswell

Mr De Vincentis says the council hasn’t supported his popular display at all, and says the event closes him close to $3000 annually. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“We are sick of fighting for it and having to waste our own time.

“Council hasn’t supported it at all.

“We are an event that has been running for so long, it shouldn’t be so hard to put on such a good event for the community.

“It was a hard decision to make, a lot of people are disappointed.”

Mr De Vincentis said he had to take as many as five days off work last year to liaise with the council.

Mr De Vincentis said the event costs him close to $3000 annually to put on but it was worth it.

The event has raised more than $18,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

He said the event has been a family tradition.

“It is about the Christmas spirit but now Christmas won’t feel the same,” he said.

“I’m torn, but enough is enough.”

The event has raised more than $18,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Thousands of locals and tourists are attracted to the area each year for Mr De Vincentis’ light show. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The show has more than 25,000 lights and operates on a 30 minute show which is fully synchronised to music.

It attracts thousands of locals and tourists to the area each year.

Greensborough local Melanie Wason said the cancellation was a “really disappointing situation” for her after being involved in it for the last two years.

“I have grown up watching the show, I was really looking forward to continuing that tradition with my own daughter,” she told the Herald Sun.

“Common sense has to come into it, the council needs to look into what the majority of community members are saying.

“You have got to see it (the lights) to believe it ... the scope was impressive.

“It is a really uplifting and lovely experience.”

Banyule Council mayor Mark Di Pasquale has been contacted for comment.

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