A BIG crowd turned out for one of the last carols nights of the year, on the San Remo foreshore last Friday night.

And with a varied line up of talent on stage, the weather playing its part, and the backdrop of the Phillip Island Bridge and Western Port Bay, family groups, kids and couples set up on the lawn and thoroughly enjoyed the night.

The Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead was there to kick off the proceedings, making note later of one of the early highlights of the night, the choir from the San Remo Primary School.

“I’d also like to give a shout out to the team from the San Remo SES who jumped in at the last moment to make sure Santa arrived after the fire brigade was called away to fight the bushfire at The Gurdies. That’s what community is all about,” said an emotional mayor.

The dynamic duo of Mandy Siegel and Bern Carroll really got the crowd going with a selection of carols, with words flashed up on the big screen and a regular visitor from Melbourne, youngster Lilly Prentice showed she’s really going somewhere with a great voice.

Mandy and Bern’s ’12 days of a Phillip Island Christmas’ was a real hit, going something like this: 12 geese a-breeding, 11,000 shearwaters flying, 10 sailors sailing, 9 councillors working, 8 winds a-blowing, 7 surfers surfing, 6 tourists talking, 5 new cafes, 4 hooded plovers, 3 purple hens, 2 little penguins… and a Phillip Island wallaby!

Maybe the wind was a little stronger than you’d like, and there’s little doubt the fire fighters on the fire grounds just down the road felt the same, their heroic efforts not far from the thoughts of most who enjoyed the pre-Christmas celebrations at San Remo.