General News
15 December, 2023
An illuminating time
ABOUT 1500 people enjoyed the inaugural Light Up Camperdown – Light and Lantern Festival on Friday night.
A lantern parade, buskers, stiltwalkers and a juggler added to the festive atmosphere.
The Camperdown Rotary Twilight Market added variety and a wide range of food to the festival atmosphere.
Many of the local businesses were open for late-night Christmas shopping.
The festival was opened by mayor Kate Makin, who was introduced by Camperdown town crier James Carter.
Chloe Mutton, Bridget Dridan and Fiona Pugh, with her instrumental students, were among the local young musicians who busked at various points around the town centre, playing a variety of festive tunes.
Dressed in dream-like LED-lit costumes, stiltwalking trio The Illuminates and juggler Rich Royale entertained the crowd.
St Patrick’s Primary School and Camperdown College students had made lanterns in the lead-up to the event under the guidance of WildHoney Performing Arts.
On the night of the festival there was another lantern making workshop led by volunteers from Camperdown Community House.
Merrymakers with their lanterns formed at the Theatre Royal at 8.30pm and paraded to the Clocktower.
There, Central Ward councillor Ruth Gstrein – a longtime champion of the program – threw the switch to turn on eight coloured lights around the base of the Clocktower.
There has been desire in the community for many years to light up the Clocktower at night.
In 2022, council received funding from the Victorian Government’s $5 million Our Regions: Living Local – Regional Fund to ‘Light Up Camperdown’.
The project includes artistic lighting of the Clocktower and courthouse and a projection system to light up the side of the old Shire of Hampden building.
The projection was unveiled as part of the festival, with paper lanterns lining the path near the building.
Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney said the projector was a real win for Corangamite.
“We’re proud to back this project as it brings the local community together in celebration and attracts visitors passing by to enjoy what’s on offer in the region,” she said.
The fund is aimed at activating public spaces to promote social connections, enhance liveability and revitalise regional shopping strips.
Cr Makin said the projector would be an asset to make the town centre more vibrant and would improve safety by providing more lighting.
“It’s a great innovation with so many possibilities,” she said.
“The side wall of the Civic Centre makes a great screen that can be seen by motorists travelling down the highway.
“It could potentially provide great opportunities to promote community events and festivals, tourism, special occasions or safety messages.
“In the new year, council will formalise a set of guidelines for how it can be best used to support our community.”
Council Events and Creative Industries team leader Tammy Young said the projector was chosen because it could provide brighter and much more vibrant colours than comparable models.
“It uses coloured lasers which provide sharper images and video than projectors using other light sources,” she said.
“The image will be clearer even in less-than-ideal lighting conditions like long summer twilights.
“It is more energy efficient, using 25 per cent less electricity than many other projectors and is temperature insulated and thermostatically controlled for safety.”
