Local residents Donna and Jason Stewart, and local business SRS Benetook Farm, have been rewarded for their efforts spreading Christmas joy throughout the community by taking out the 2023 Christmas Lights Competition awards.
Each winner received a $500 City Heart Gift Card to spend at a local business of their choice.
Mildura Rural City Council again partnered with Sunraysia Daily late last year to bring the initiative to life, where residents were invited to register their address online on Council's Christmas Lights Map, which was updated daily and published in the Sunraysia Daily in the lead-up to Christmas.
The competition provided the community with a roadmap of creative Christmas displays to tour, as well as an opportunity for the public to vote for their favourite display.
Donna and Jason Stewart's walk-through North Pole display received the most public votes via Council's website for Best Decorated House, while the Best Decorated Business, SRS Benetook Farm, was carefully selected by the Mayor.
Best Decorated House winners, Donna and her husband Jason, guessed around several thousand people toured their immersive display.
"A lot of work went into bringing our vision to life. To see the smiles and positive reactions from kids and families who visited truly made all of the hard work worthwhile," Ms Stewart said.
She said they are already planning what's in store for this year.
"We will have more shop fronts, real reindeer and we also want to install a big screen for movies," Ms Stewart said.
SRS Benetook Farm's Farm Social Enterprise Coordinator Kristin Andrews said they have enjoyed participating in the Christmas Light Competition for many years, and she was thrilled to see the award return last year.
"We started preparing in early October and I was lucky to have an enthusiastic group of five participants helping me paint and string lights on the outdoor ornaments. It's a huge job, but it's all worthwhile," Ms Andrews said.
"Seeing the happiness and joy on the faces of the participants and children visiting Benetook Farm to look at the lights is all the thanks I need.
"Receiving the winning phone call was a wonderful surprise. My group of helpers has now doubled in size and the participants are already making plans for this year's display.
"My advice for anyone that would like to participate in the competition would be to prepare early, then you can sit back and enjoy your work with the rest of the Sunraysia community. It's worth it," she said.
Mildura Mayor Liam Wood said the competition received an overwhelming response.
"We had 98 addresses enter the 2023 Christmas Lights Competition and the online map was accessed by the public over 10,500 times," Cr Wood said.
"Thank you to everyone who decorated their homes or businesses and helped bring some festive joy to our region over Christmas. What a great end we had to the year.
"We'd also like to thank Sunraysia Daily for its continued support of this fun, festive initiative."
Sunraysia Daily General Manager Glenn Robinson said the partnership between Sunraysia Daily and Mildura Rural City Council has been a real success.
"Seeing our community transform their streets and properties each year is a real highlight for many of us in the lead-up to Christmas," Mr Robinson said.
"A big thank you to the Council and everyone who registered their address or voted in the competition."
