Christmas lights continue to shine on as Coonamble, Gulargambone and Quambone residents have been judged and winners announced for the annual Rotary Club of Coonamble Christmas Light Competition. 

Winners in each town are awarded $400, Runners Up receive $100 and Highly Commended recipients are awarded a certificate. 

Rotarian Emily Ryan says this year’s judges had many difficult decisions to make. 

“Judges are completely anonymous. We select different members from each community to conduct judging every year,” Miss Ryan said. 

“This year we had more participants in both Gulargambone and Quambone with Coonamble maintaining a similar amount to previous years,” she said.

Judging for the Coonamble lights was held on Thursday 15 December. Winner Karen Churchill and Chris Murray have been putting up their Christmas lights for over 20 years in Calga Street. 

“Before meeting Chris, I used to put up Christmas lights with my dad Robbie. It has been a tradition even before I had my daughter Sam, who is now 19- so I have been doing it for a very long time,” Ms Churchill said. 

“I have been lucky enough to win over four times before. It is always nice to receive feedback from the local community. We are always trying to top what we did the year before. This year I even added Santa Claus on the dunny,” she said. 

Other Coonamble winners included Steven and Wanitta Glover as Runner’s Up in Gordon Street and Highly Commended was awarded to Justin and Sarah Davis in Townsend Street and James and Leah Gajkowski located on the corner of Namoi and Macquarie Street.

Mr Glover says he always puts 100% of his time and effort into his Christmas lights every year.

“We always try to go above and beyond and beat what we have done the previous year. This year I reckon I worked over forty hours on our lights,” he said. 

“This year we placed more inflatables around the house including a five metre Santa Claus and over 7,000 lights. It is quickly getting out of control,” he laughed. 

Justin and Sarah Davis described their lights as sparkly and festive. 

“Our favourite part about our lights this year is the brick pattern on the walls of the house and the Grinch on the roof pulling down the lights,” Mrs Davis said.

“We have put up our lights for around eight years and been awarded Highly Commended three times. We are always grateful to be acknowledged, however we get so much enjoyment from hearing the excitement from all the children and adults that drive past or sit out the front of the house- nothing can beat that,” she said. 

James and Leah Gajkowski did not expect to be awarded Highly Commended this year.

“We were so excited when we found out! We have roughly been putting up our lights for around eight years and have often been told how nice our lights look. We always hear kids and their parents driving past all excited,” Mrs Gajkowski said. 

“My favourite part about our lights is the blow up Santa in his monster truck. It gives a lot of people a good laugh,” she said. 

ABOVE: One of the many Coonamble Shire Christmas lights entered into the competition. PHOTO: Coonamble Rotary.

Gulargambone decked its streets full of bright lights for judging on Friday 16 December. Winner Jake Milgate has only recently joined the other crazed Christmas light enthusiasts. 

“I have only been putting my lights up for a couple of years, and this year was the second time I have won,” Mr Milgate said. 

“My display featured inflatables, a cut out of Santa and his reindeer, a nativity scene and a variety of our solar and powered lights which outlined my yard and house. My lights this year caught a lot of kids eyes, I have gotten heaps of compliments this year and that has been my favourite part- I can always hear how excited kids are when they drive past,” he said. 

“It feels great to be named as the winner of the Gulargambone Christmas light competition. I put a lot of time and effort into making it look as good as it does”. 

Other Gulargambone recipients awarded included Runner Up Pauline Hammond and Highly Commended to Lola King and Maz Irwin.

Last but not least, Quambone residents illuminated their town on Saturday 17 December. The winner was Janine Swindle with a bright array of Christmas lights as well as Santa, reindeer and elf inflatables. Runner Up was awarded to Claire Hopkins and Highly Commended went to Mandy McCormack. 

Quambone winner Janine Swindle says Christmas is her favourite time of the year. 

“I love participating in the Christmas Light Competition because I love seeing the joy it brings to kids faces around town,” she said. 

“Setting up the lights is like a second nature to me and something that the whole family gets involved in,” Mrs Swindle said. 

Miss Ryan says that the Quambone community had many new participants this year. 

“It was so good to see all the new lights at Quambone and we cannot wait to see them again next year. The Quambone community also invited us to do the Chocolate Wheel at the Quambone Christmas Tree,” Miss Ryan said.