A Western Australian town’s Christmas tradition, which has raised hundreds of dollars over more than a decade, is under threat as a group of canal residents are accused of holding it to ransom.
The lights display lights up faces, providing Christmas magic in the heart of Mandurah, about an hour south of Perth.
But the residents who put it on are threatening to pull the plug because of a proposed land development they claim will create a traffic nightmare in the suburb of Halls Head.
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Visit Mandurah general manager Anita Kane said the lights display had raised $300,000 for charity in the past 10 years.
“It’s all due to the wonderful residents at Port Mandurah,” she said.
Now those residents, like Amanda Giblett, claim they’re not being listened to.
She’s among about 250 homeowners threatening to pull the plug if the council pushes ahead with plans for a brewery on the nearby King Carnival site.
Others have protested in efforts to keep the carnival itself but the canal residents are mainly concerned about traffic.
“The effect of the planned proposal that the council has put forward seems over the top and ridiculous,” Giblett said.
Event sponsor and co-founder Renee Hardman said she respected the residents’ right to protest.
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“But don’t be using something like the Mandurah City christmas lights to ransom against something that a privileged few don’t want,” she said.
While Mandurah council says a decision on the brewery won’t be made until the end of this month, it has already started seeking the necessary planning approvals from the state government.
“The mayor’s made it clear that a small group of residents won’t be listened to,” resident Brad Mitchell said.
But the canal dwellers insist they’re not the grinches, saying this is their last resort.
“It is sad because most of us have grandchildren, and we put the lights up for them to enjoy, but we also love to see families come down,” Giblett said.
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