Is Geelong's Christmas tree the world's worst?

IT COST $30,000 but is Geelong's Christmas tree the ugliest going around? Even the mayor has called it a "disgrace".

The central Geelong Christmas tree cost $30,000.

IS Geelong's Christmas tree the ugliest going around? Or is it Nordic trendy and up to the minute?

Geelong Mayor Darryn Lyons did not mince his words when asked about the $30,000 effort.

"It's a disgrace,'' Cr Lyons said. ``It's the worst Christmas tree in the world.''

"I totally understand the lack of creativity over the years.

"And having starfish in the streets - I won't be having any more starfish next year.

"I am working on a number of different plans and we will be working with a Melbourne-based company.''
Monbulk's contender in the ugly Christmas tree stakes

Cr Lyons had just come from a meeting with a firm called Creative Production Services, which he said had been responsible for some of the constructions to appear in Fed Square, and who would be doing Geelong's Christmas decorations next year.

"They're the guys that did the King Kong hand on the Eureka Tower,'' he said.

Cr Lyons said one thing that had worked this year were the Christmas trees put together by children from various primary schools.

One thing for certain can be said about the tree in the mall - everybody has an opinion. When the Geelong Advertiser posted a question about it on the Addy's Facebook, nearly 200 people commented on it.

One mother said her five-year-old daughter laughed when told it was a Christmas tree.

Fairlie Pritchard posted that if the budget allowed the Christmas decorations could be more extravagant.

"However, the budget given was minimal, and the best was done with that,'' she wrote.

The central Geelong Christmas tree cost $30,000.

Kasey Goonan had similar comments. ``If council had allocated more money to Christmas decorations we would be whining about that also.''

For the record, the tree in Little Malop St cost the city $30,000, while each of the smaller school Christmas trees cost $1000, which includes installing them, retrieving them and storing them.

Susan Mackay wrote that not only was the tree ugly but the rest of the decorations didn't show any Christmas spirit.

``The school trees even outdo this thing,'' she wrote.

Penny Szakiel said she could not believe how bent out of shape people got over a Christmas tree.

``The Scandinavian style is pretty hot right now, so why not embrace it for a bit,'' she said. ``I like this tree - it's unique.''

Beverley Richards said she would rather have a traditional tree. ``This one looks hard and would never have thought it could replace a lovely tree,'' she said.