Residents in Wyndham will have the opportunity to enjoy eight days of colour and light along Federation Trail through the Trail of Lights project thanks to $153,500 from the Victoria Government’s Pick My Project initiative. 

Member for Tarneit, Sarah Connolly launched the Trail of Lights project on behalf of the Minister of Suburban Development, Hon Marlene Kairouz on Friday 20 September.  

Organised by Ian MacGowan and the Williams Landing Estate Residents’ Association, the festival includes a series of bright and colourful exhibits along the popular walking and riding path to help light up the night sky with artist installations, decorative lighting and a series of lanterns created by members of the community. 

The festival area will run for 4.5 kilometres with lanterns stretching the length of the track, encouraging residents to view the entire festival area. The festival will create a sense of belonging and connections between residents, with locals, schools and community groups helping make the lanterns. 

The project will also see infrastructure upgrades improving safety in the area with the replacement of fencing along the Main Outfall Sewer and at nearby crossing points over the disused sewer line and the installation of reused shipping containers for new community spaces. 

Pick My Project is a Victorian Government first - a $30 million participatory budgeting initiative that puts decision making in the hands of Victorians. Victorians aged 16 and over were encouraged to generate project ideas that make their local community an even better place to live, then vote for their favourites.  

Pick My Project has awarded funding to 237 successful project ideas state-wide, with funding allocated between the six metropolitan and nine regional partnership areas. The Trail of Lights project is one of 25 successful projects from the Pick My Project initiative in the Western Metro region.  

The region received more than $2.80 million in funding through the initiative, after a total of 22,864 votes were cast across the region. 

See all of the successful projects at pickmyproject.vic.gov.au. 

Quotes attributable to Minister for Suburban Development Marlene Kairouz

 “The Trail of Lights project will be an exciting event for the entire community thanks to the Pick My Project initiative.”  

Quotes attributable to Member for Tarneit Sarah Connolly

“Federation Trail is such a popular walking and riding path for the Wyndham community and the series of art installations and lanterns created by local residents has it looking magnificent.”