By Emma Xerri
As a cherished tradition in the local community, deciding on the design of the Bunjil Place Christmas tree is no small feat, and in past years Bunjil Place has worked with a variety of different creatives to celebrate the holiday.
This year was no exception.
Calling on the help of 23 talented little helpers from Fountain Gate Primary School, this year’s tree is representative of the way a portion of Casey’s youth perceive Christmas.
From the tree’s decorations to the colour of the tree itself, the children’s imaginative ideas have brilliantly captured the Christmas spirit.
“This year, we wanted a community-led tree and what better way to bring out the spirit of Christmas, than to bring the ideas of children to fruition,” said City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff.
The childrens’ designs ranged from innovative snow globe creations to heartfelt depictions of the students’ cultural backgrounds, and it was the role of Bunjil Place’s production designer Kirsten Macalpine to combine the creations and produce a tree each of the students and the wider Casey community can be proud of.
“Christmas looks different to everyone and is celebrated in all sorts of ways – something that can be interpreted in the children’s artworks,” Ms Duff added.
“The tree design shares what a section of our youngest community members think about Christmas time, and what this time means to them.
“The students were able to be part of a memorable experience that contributed to their development as artists and designers of the future. The creativity, thoughtfulness and consideration of the designs developed by students rivalled that of some design firms!”
And this sentiment was certainly shared by the students, with one student noting “I think people will be jealous. I think they’ll be like, ‘that’s the best tree I’ve ever seen.’”
You can view the Christmas Tree at Bunjil Place anytime until Monday 1 January 2024, from 10.00 pm nightly.
