Hundreds of people gathered at Coogee Beach last night for a special tree-lighting event to formally launch Randwick City Council’s biggest ever Christmas program, where Mayor Dylan Parker revealed a star-studded line up for Council’s signature event, Coogee Carols.
Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker, who was joined by local children to light an eight-metre interactive Christmas tree at Goldstein Reserve last night, said Coogee Carols is the “jewel in the crown of Randwick City Council’s Christmas program.”
“This year we’ll once again be entertained by a star-studded line up, featuring household names and local legends. It promises to be a fantastic event, so I hope you’ll join us to sing along with your favourite festive season songs and to spread a little Christmas joy.”
Hosted by Amanda Keller and Luke Carroll, this year’s Coogee Carols will be held on Sunday, 15 December, 6:30 – 8:30pm, featuring:
- Award winning country singer, Amber Lawrence
- Red Wiggle, Simon Pryce
- Smooth FM host, Cameron Daddo
- Star of & Juliet, Blake Appleqvist (they/them)
- Elenoa Rokobaro, from Belvior Street Theatre’s Well-Behaved Women
- Sarah Murr, soon to be seen in Hadestown
- West End star, Danny Whitehead
- Kimberley Hodgson, star of the musical SIX
Headliners will also be joined by local legends Joe Sullivan, who has performed Coogee Carols for 23 years, Garry Scale, Phoebe Panaretos, long-time carols regular, Jennifer Peers and musical theatre performer Alec Steedman (he/they).
The cast will also be joined by Coogee carolers Aneka Waynberg, Jack Talty (they/them), Molly Owen and Zander Gaal.
Randwick City Council is delivering its biggest, brightest and best Christmas program yet.
The Christmas tree at Coogee is one of seven across the Randwick Local Government Area, but it is the only tree featuring a special LED display on which community members can request short messages to be illuminated. Randwick Council staff will be on hand every night from Tuesday 3 December, between 7pm to 9.30pm, (except on Sunday 15 December and New Year’s Eve) to help people illuminate their messages on the tree.
Council staff have also decked streets, beaches, and parks with Christmas lights, decorations, and installations, including three hundred ‘gift wrapped’ bins.
Giant Christmas baubles have been hung over Meek St Plaza in Kingsford, and at Burrows Park in Clovelly. Other installations include an interactive “music box” archway outside the Heffron Centre in Maroubra, and star-shaped archways at Randwick, La Perouse, and Maroubra Beach that light up in the evening.
Twelve giant “presents” line the Coastal Walkway between Coogee and Clovelly as part of a word scramble competition, where community members can win one of 12 dining vouchers worth $100 each.
Other major events include Council’s Christmas Eat Drink and Play, which includes food trucks and live music on 24 December at Maroubra, and the Coogee Sparkles New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Council is also supporting several community carols events in Clovelly, Matraville, and South Maroubra.
Full program information and an interactive Christmas map is available on Council’s website.
