TREE TO COST $2.3M

Council to decide whether to fund Christmas attraction for five more years

GEELONG’S floating Christmas tree would be guaranteed until early 2024 under a $2.3 million funding boost for the attraction.

The need to meet rising costs, and investigate a new location to avoid a quay clash, will be considered by the council when it weighs up a proposed new long-term deal for the tree.

The 25m tall structure will return to the waterfront on November 9, for its final festive period under a $400,000 per year contract signed by the city’s administrators.

Councillors will tomorrow night decide if they will commit just over $2.3 million for a further five years.

An engineering assessment has found the tree was structurally sound and could, with minor repairs, be displayed for that length of time.

In a report, council investment and attraction director Brett Luxford outlines a new funding arrangement would kick off a range of work related to the attraction.

This includes investigating alternate mooring sites along the waterfront to: OPEN up Steampacket Quay to allow the forthcoming Geelong to Melbourne ferry to access the berthing terminal; OFFER new opportunities for land-based activities, such as a Christmas displays on Steampacket Gardens; and; HELP reinvigorate the tree display.

Officers also believe that further investment is needed to improve and add to the structure in 2020-21 and 2022-23.

This would “ensure the tree continues to have high impact and return visitation”.

The scope of improvements still need to be investigated and do not form part of the proposed budget.

The budget figure also relies on continued in-kind support from GeelongPort, which is worth about $75,000 annually.

Negotiations are continuing to extend that arrangement for the next five years.

The council claims almost 165,000 people viewed the tree during the last festive season, providing a total economic output of $17.3 million.

Its figures relied on tools such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi data counting mobile devices, plus face-to-face and online surveys.

The floating Christmas tree was introduced by then-mayor Darryn Lyons in 2014, who needed to use his casting vote to secure majority support.

While the investment was a divisive issue for the last council, it had the support of returned councillors Bruce Harwood, Ron Nelson and Eddy Kontelj.

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