Neighbours’ festive lights display helps Guide Dogs WA

Every year, in the weeks leading up to December, excited locals start driving slowly up a usually quiet cul-de-sac in Perth’s northern suburbs, keen to get a glimpse of a famously festive street.

For nearly 20 years, the residents of Prairie Dunes Place in Connolly have worked together to create one of Perth’s most-loved Christmas lights displays.

The whole street is transformed into a sea of lights and colour.

It all started when one resident, Alba Vanderburg, hung up a simple string of lights nearly 25 years ago.

“I’m the one to blame ... Never in a million years did I ever think it would grow to this,” Mrs Vanderburg said.

While the twinkling lights bring plenty of festive cheer to visitors, there is an important cause that is close to the hearts of Prairie Dunes Place residents. In all their years of stringing up lights together, they have remained loyal to one charity, Guide Dogs WA, and raised $176,000 for West Australians who are vision impaired.

“As a result of the money raised we’ve been able to recruit and train seven guide dogs, which we’re incredibly proud of,” Guide Dogs WA community fundraising coordinator Lauren Shepherd said.

In the lead up to Christmas, ambassador dogs Eva and Maddie will be making appearances at Prairie Dunes Place to help drive donations and spread community awareness. In addition, the Connolly street will also be a drop-off point for the Grant a Puppy Wish Christmas appeal, where people can donate items like dog toys, plush beds and blankets to help give the guide dog puppies the best possible start in life.

“It’s one less cost for Guide Dogs WA to cover, and more funding we can put into our training program,” Ms Shepherd said.

Prairie Dunes Place resident Mike Shuttleworth said that working closely with Guide Dogs WA inspired him to keep putting in the hard work each year.

“It just makes you feel very grateful ... that you can see these wonderful Christmas lights, but there’s people in fact that can’t, and that’s sort of where the inspiration comes from,” Mr Shuttleworth said.

The suburban street sees thousands of visitors through December, raising on average of $10,000 across the month for Guide Dogs WA.

The foot traffic became a subject of controversy recently when the City of Joondalup erected parking barriers along a neighbouring street. They were quickly removed after public outcry for the “Grinchy” move.

Residents like Mr Shuttleworth and Mrs Vanderburg hope to continue the tradition for many years to come, with the Christmas lights forging a strong community bond for neighbours.

“There’s a wonderful community spirit in the street, we all know each other and look after each other,” Mr Shuttleworth said.

Mrs Vanderburg never tires of seeing the faces of children and the elderly light up as they walk along the street.

“If we can bring a little bit of joy for one night to the people that come up and have a look, we’ve done our job,” she said.

The Christmas lights of Prairie Dunes Place are running every night until December 31.