Geelong’s floating Christmas tree arrived in Corio Bay this morning ahead of Friday night’s official lighting ceremony.
The event includes two hours of performances beginning at 7pm and culminates in the lighting of the tree and a fireworks display.
Geelong Mayor Stephanie Asher and Mik Maks brothers Joel and Alan McInnes watched as the 15-tonne, 25m tree was towed into position today.
The tree, featuring 12,000 kinetic discs and 16 giant stars, will light up approximately every 15 minutes from 8.30pm until midnight each night following opening night.
Geelong’s council in 2018 voted to spend $2.3 million to keep the tree for five more years.
Geelong’s 2018 Christmas program generated a record $18.5 million and attracted more than 330,000 visitors, council estimated earlier this year.
The amount tops the previous benchmark; an estimated $18 million when Geelong’s floating Christmas tree debuted in 2014.
The figure has fluctuated between last year’s high and about $13 million in 2016.
More than 15,000 people watched the lighting ceremony last year on 9 November.
But former Geelong mayor Darryn Lyons and three current councillors in August warned a new ferry service mooring next to the tree overnight could spoil views.
Councillors Kylie Grzybek, Eddy Kontelj and Anthony Aitken opposed mooring the ferry next to the tree overnight but were voted down 5 to 3, with three absent.
Planning documents indicated the ferry would block views from the west and Cunningham Pier, Cr Grzybek told the Indy.
Port Phillip Ferries’ last Tuesday launched Geelong Flyer in Tasmania and the vessel was on schedule to begin its twice-daily service to Melbourne on 2 December.
