Snow wonder: Brett Ould with his Christmas display at Stanhope's Station Park Art Space. Mr Ould and partner Rick Lansdown have added to their Christmas display collection over 20 years.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Way out west in the small town of Stanhope people have a big Christmas treat to share.
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Tucked away in the town’s Station Park Art Space are two windows to rival any big city’s seasonal display.
One window recreates Christmas in a Victorian-era town complete with snow, a carousel, sleighs and three-storey buildings. At night, the buildings light up, music plays and ballroom dancers can be seen tripping the light fantastic through tiny frosted windows.
In an opposite window, visitors can enjoy a collection of old-fashioned Christmas decorations, including a tree decorated with glass balls and ribbons, reindeer, cookie jars, wrapped presents and a story about how spider webs were the inspiration behind tinsel.
Attention to detail: Brett Ould's Christmas figurines and streetscapes light up and play music at night.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
The magical windows were created by Stanhope south resident Brett Ould and his partner Rick Lansdown, who used their extensive collection of decorations and American-made Lemax model figures of people and buildings to recreate a wonderland of an old-fashioned European Christmas.
“It’s been a tough few years and we want people to come out and smile and enjoy Christmas,” Mr Ould said.
“Stanhope is a fantastic little town and Christmas is all about enjoying life with family and friends.”
Let’s dance: Many of the little Christmas figures move to music and lights at Stanhope's free seasonal display.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Three years ago Mr Ould and Mr Lansdown moved from Cockatoo in the Dandenongs to buy a Federation-era property near Stanhope called Robgill, once owned by the Winter-Irving family.
Mr Ould said they intended to run the property as a wedding and events venue.
Meanwhile, their 20-year collection of Christmas decorations and miniature towns has been stored, carefully wrapped, in a shed.
“We’ve used them at functions at Crown Casino, the Melbourne Cup and shopping centres — but we thought why not bring them out for the people of Stanhope?” Mr Ould said.
He said it took four days to set up the Christmas scenes, and it would take about two hours to take down.
Proud Stanhope resident George Gemmill was full of praise for the couple’s efforts.
“In Melbourne they’ve got the Myer displays — but we’ve got Brett and Rick’s windows,” Mr Gemmill said.
Family fun: The American-made Lemax figures and buildings are on display in Stanhope until early January.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Stanhope and District Development Committee member Deb Dodd said the art park was an emerging exhibition and display space in the town.
Mrs Dodd said the committee planned to rotate displays every four to eight weeks.
“It provides an interesting stopping point for visitors, and walkers and bike riders who use the rail trail,” she said.
The Stanhope Station Park Art Space Christmas windows will be on display until early January.
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