A FESTIVE spirit is spreading across the State as more landholders decorate their mail boxes and front grids in preparation for Christmas.
Many of the decorated mailboxes are part of the Tinsel Trail – a tradition that started among a small group of landholders south of Surat in the 1990s that has now spread far and wide across Queensland.
Hundreds of landholders have strung tinsel across gateways, penned humorous signs, built stuffed Santas or erected beautiful pieces of Christmas artwork as their contribution to the trail.
At Garrabarra, 55km south of Roma, the Flower family have installed Santa in a beautiful steel sleigh at the entrance to their beef property.
The sleigh, which is being pulled by two reindeer, was hand-drawn by Sarah Flower and constructed by Graham Norman, who works for the Flower family’s earthmoving business.
Rowena Flower said the family had received plenty of positive feedback since the sleigh and reindeers were moved by tractor to the mailbox last week.
“Last year we couldn't even get to the mailbox to decorate it because of floodwaters so it’s nice to have something so special up there this year,” Mrs Flower said.
“People have been stopping to take photos and are obviously enjoying it and that’s what the Tinsel Trail is all about.”
“It reminds us that there are people living behind every mailbox – we might not be able to see them or their homes but there are people living all along these roads.”
At Wellesley, 30km south of Surat, Liz McLean has put the finishing touches on her mailbox for Christmas.
Liz has been the driving force behind the Tinsel Trail and was among the first landholders to start decorating their mailboxes in the 1990s.
She said it was only five years ago that they received some funding to start a coordinated Tinsel Trail effort.
Liz said the aim of the Tinsel Trail is to simply spread some joy at Christmas.
“It just gives everyone so much pleasure and is a simple way to create some community Christmas spirit,” she said.
In more recent years, the ladies driving the Tinsel Trail concept have been spreading the word as Tinsel Trail Christmas Fairies.
This year they attended the Naturally Resourceful Women’s Summit in Injune where they dressed as Tinsel Trail Christmas Fairies to encourage locals in that area to keep spreading the trail.
“We also did a letter drop all the way back to Roma from Injune and I believe quite a few of them have decorated their mailboxes this year,” Liz said.
“We send out letters to residents on all roads leading into Surat and we have an email list that goes out to hundreds of recipients encouraging them to join in the fun.”
“We also dressed up as Christmas Fairies to decorate the main street of Surat this year.”
“A few of us met at the bridge at 6.30am and did the bridge and all the way back through the main street.”
“People were driving past with their windows down calling out how much they loved it and the truck drivers were tooting their horns.”
“It was great fun and the street looks amazing.”
Liz has been impressed by many contributions to the trail over the years but was particularly heartened to see the spirit of the Tinsel Trail extend to the Surat Hospital this year.
“We have a particularly long hallway at the hospital and one of our nurses, Sandy Ferguson, has decorated the entire hallway and it just looks beautiful,” Liz said.
“Over the years we’ve had some wonderful efforts – we have had Santa stuck in a mailbox, Christmas artwork made out of scrap metal and I believe there is a great one this year on the Mitchell road of Santa as a bronco rider.”
“We always say it can be as simple or elaborate as you like – we just like to see a piece of tinsel that lets you know you’re on the tinsel trail.”