Close to 80 people gathered at Lowburn Hall last week for a community Christmas celebration that has brought neighbours together for decades. 

The hall, which is community-owned and sits on the edge of the Lowburn Inlet, hosted residents from across the valley for a shared potluck dinner. 

The volunteer committee that runs the hall also provided a Christmas ham. 

Long-time residents Laurie and Anne McAuley said the event was already well established when they arrived in the valley in 1990. 

“There are far more people now; it’s just so lovely to see all the community coming together,” Anne said. 

She said it was particularly special to see young families and new faces at the annual gathering, as that helped shore up the future of the event. 

“It’s a brilliant little community,” she said. 

Boys versus girls and parents versus kids as the annual tug of war contests continue for another year. Images: The Central App 

Santa makes an appearance for a lolly scramble at Lowburn. Image: The Central App 

“It’s nice to see new people and it’s lovely because that means it’s going to continue,” she said. 

Her husband Laurie said the Lowburn celebration stood out because it brought whole families together at a busy time of year. 

He said while parents often attend work functions in the lead-up to Christmas, the Lowburn gathering was one where children and adults shared the occasion. 

Lowburn farmer and hall committee chair Jack Davis said the Christmas party dated back to before the dam was built. 

He recalled a campground near the old Lowburn Bridge where early celebrations were held before the area was flooded. 

A long-running feature of the event is the tug of war, with a rope supplied again this year for a series of friendly battles. 

The competition saw boys take on girls before families joined in, with parents narrowly winning the final round against the children. 

A Christmas tree cut from a nearby property was decorated with tinsel and lights, and Santa made an appearance to hand presents out to the children. 

The afternoon also included a lolly scramble and sack races.