By Michael Doran
In the first week of December, Healesville will step back in time when restored Christmas decorations return to their rightful place along the main street.
Getting them there has been a long and winding road and is the result of a joint project between Healesville’s Rotary and Lions clubs.
The decorative Christmas wreaths, originally owned by the Healesville Shire, have been gathering dust for some years in a local shed.
Life-long Healesville resident Cheryl Chippindall saw a Facebook post asking for help in moving them and she ended up with all 25 at her place.
“I remember seeing them as a kid and I wanted my grandchildren to see them back in the town,” she said.
Cheryl’s husband Robert said she was “obsessed” with the decorations, an assertion she readily agreed with.
“Without any decorations there is no real Christmas spirit in Healesville anymore,” she said.
“Like it or not, Healesville is a tourist town and we need to give people a reason to come up here.
“It’s important for the town and the people to have something like this to identify with.”
Healesville Rotary Club is steering the refurbishment project and secretary Don Fitzgerald said this was the first stage in a plan to run other themes throughout the year.
“We have been talking about a winter wonderland theme as another way of promoting the town,” he said.
“We found a guy who specialises in this type of work and he has already done one, which looks brand new,” he said of the restorations.
“He has agreed to do the other 24 in time for hanging in December.
“Rotary and Lions are covering most of the cost of refurbishment but we have a shortfall.
“I have approached local traders about helping us and so far the response has been good.”
Yarra Ranges Council is supporting the project by taking care of the installation and demounting of the decorations.
“The wreaths are designed to fit exactly on the antique posts on the street and we had a very helpful response from the council,” Don added.
In a quirk of fate, Cheryl found the business to do the restoration by accident but it turned out to have a real connection to the project.
“The decorations were actually made by the late father of the person who is doing them up now, which was a surprise to both of us,” she said.
Don is appealing to anyone who would like to contribute to contact him on 0428 537 846.
