After losing her friend to suicide in 2011, Zoe Walsh has turned her home into a beacon of light every Christmas- decking it out with enough festive glow to brighten the season for anyone feeling lost in the darkness.
“Many of us find the festive season to be all about love and laughter but there are people among us having a hard time and I want them to know that there is always someone there to reach out to,” Ms Walsh said.
“It’s one of the reasons we do the lights, I want people to feel there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“If you are in a dark place, just reach out, there are people who love you and want you to keep being here.”
The Walsh family all get into the spirit of Christmas, but it’s Ms Walsh’s husband Chris who “does all of the hard work”.
“He does it for me and for the kids, he gets up on the roof in November and runs lights under every single tile on the roof and I wrangle the kids and throw him up a bottle of water every few hours,” Ms Walsh said.
The pair’s children Macey, six and Lucas, two, are further inspiration.
“This year Macey was old enough to say thank you for making my Christmas dreams come true Mum and Dad, but Lucas still just pretends to lick the fake candy canes.”
The family have entered the Aura Property Group Christmas Lights competition for 2024, and would spend the $2000 prize money to add to their lights collection if they won.
“I have had my eye on one of those snow machines with the foam,” Ms Walsh said.
“If we win we will get one of those and have fake snow going all over the place next year.”
You can check out the display at 12 Sunshine Crescent, Caloundra West.
Down the road at 64 McArthur Parade Baringa, mother-of-three Haley Mortensen has been lighting up her home for Christmas since they purchased the property in 2018.
“I have so many lights now I probably need a bigger house,” Ms Mortensen said.
“If people going past to see our lights think the outside is crazy, they should see the inside.
“I have six decorated Christmas trees inside the house and another seven not decorated, a six-foot Nutcracker, garlands and wreaths.
“Every year I feel ready to give up and then I see the kids come past and they are so excited and it all seems worth it.”
Ms Mortensen’s display is also part of the competition at 64 McArthur Parade, Baringa.
Other local displays on the Aura Property Group Christmas Lights Trail include:
64 McArthur Parade, Baringa
14 Stone Cres, Baringa
8-10 Dunlop Crescent, Baringa
34 Snowy Crescent, Nirimba
62 Kirsten Circuit, Nirimba
10 Lucien Street, Nirimba
23 Annalise Circuit, Nirimba
8 Great Keppel Way, Banya
79 Great Keppel Way, Banya
68 Rawson Street, Caloundra West
12 Sunshine Cres, Caloundra West
68 Indigo Road, Caloundra West
83 Kalana Road, Currimundi
28 Allonga St, Currimundi
13 Rapanea Street, Meridan Plains
19 Rapanea Street, Meridan Plains
98 Landsborough Parade, Golden Beach
29 Springs Drive, Little Mountain
90 Wilderness Cct, Little Mountain
9 Snapper Street, Little Mountain
13 High Park Crescent, Little Mountain
3 King Orchid Dr, Little Mountain
