Cooroy suiting up for street race

Peter Gardiner | 1st December 2009

This Christmas in Cooroy, a jolly lot of St Nicks will see how well-suited they are to racing not just the Christmas deadline, but each other up Maple Street.

Cooroy business owners prepare for the Great Santa Race on Saturday, December 5.

Geoff Potter

This Saturday not one but a whole field of Santas are coming to town – and they all have a need for extreme speed.

As part of Christmas in Cooroy, a jolly lot of St Nicks will see how well-suited they are to racing not just the Christmas deadline, but each other up Maple Street.

To get in the Yuletide spirit, they’ll have to ditch the sleigh and the red-light reindeer and hoof it as fast as they can with all those spare tyres around their girth.

The winner of the inaugural Great Santa Race will win $500 for “Blitzen” the rival bushy-white bearded men in red while second placed Santa pockets $250 and third $150. So what do the rest get?

Well we could say the sack, but in fact five will pick up $100 each in random draws. Of course for kids confused by so many Santas, these are the helper brigade.

“We thought it would be a great, unique way to celebrate Christmas and kick off the Christmas in Cooroy celebrations,” said sponsor David Campbell, of Noosa to Hinterland Plumbing Group.

“We can’t wait to see Maple Street full of Santas and the crowds cheering them on. It should be a great spectacle and a lot of fun for everyone.”

David said entry to the race was free and the first 10 starters to register received a free Santa suit to race in.

You have to be at least 18 years of age to enter and go to www.cooroy.com.au for more information.

Christmas in Cooroy is hosted by the Cooroy Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Cooroy. This year a heritage theme has been added to the event to celebrate some of Cooroy’s milestones and people are urged to wear Australian heritage clothing on the

day.

A highlight will be heritage displays in the Cooroy Butter Factory from 10am to 4pm, with an official opening of the “Cooroy....then and now” exhibition at 3pm including heritage clothing, heritage photos and the Guardian Pharmacy photographic competition entries.

The boiler house at the Lower Mill site will be open to the public for the first time, allowing people to go on a self-guided tour. The Cooroora Woodworkers and Sunshine Coast Camphor Laurel Initiative will also be open from 8am to 4pm at the Mill Site.

There will also be rides, face painting, magic by Ben Wright, loads of giveaways, competitions, woodchop demonstration, the Bendigo Bank Street Parade, local band Rust, a Santa visit and fireworks.