04/02/2026
What a beautiful write up.
Keeping a Community Tradition Alive: The Yamba–Iluka Christmas Boat
What started as a few Christmas lights and a foam Santa head has grown into one of the Clarence Valley’s most cherished festive traditions.
Deb and Jamie first decorated their boat in 2017. It was simple by design. A string of lights, a Santa head placed on the winch, and a lifesize Santa built for friends coming over for Christmas drinks. That same Santa head is still used today. It is always the final piece added, marking the moment the Christmas Boat is officially ready.
The following year saw small additions. A couple more rows of lights and a few red bows. Nothing elaborate, but the idea was growing. Then came 2019. After months of devastating bushfires and red skies across the region, Deb and Jamie decided to do a little more. A large roof tree was added, along with a chimney and many more lights. As they cruised the river that year, they began to notice people stopping to watch. Smiles. Waves. Quiet moments of appreciation.
When COVID arrived, the Christmas Boat found a deeper purpose. At a time when people were craving connection and something to look forward to, a brightly lit boat on the Clarence River offered a simple kind of joy. Since then, the display has grown brighter each year, with many elements handmade using recycled and repurposed materials to survive the harsh salt environment.
In 2026, Deb and Jamie will mark ten Christmases on the river. A milestone they never imagined reaching.
Seeing the Christmas Boat out on the water each year has become deeply personal. After months of planning, building, repairing, and watching the weather, that first night feels a little magical. What began as a private tradition has become something much bigger.
They speak about it as a legacy. About children who wave from the riverbank now, and the hope that one day those same children will tell their own families about the Christmas Boat they remember growing up with. The idea that it could become a shared generational memory means more than any recognition.
The reactions from the community are what keep them going. Children are always the first to spot the boat. Jumping, waving, calling out to Santa, or standing still in complete awe. Parents smile, people gather, music drifts across the water. Some dance. Others sit quietly and take it all in. There are cheers, claps, laughter, and that familiar ripple of excitement. “There’s the Christmas Boat.”
Over the years, there have been moments that stay with them. Gifts paddled out to Santa. Handwritten thank you cards from children. Homes along the canals switching on their lights as the boat arrives. Messages from families who say they know Christmas has truly started when they see it on the river.
Last year, a mum sent a video of her son recreating the Christmas Boat entirely out of LEGO. In Iluka, one night saw dozens of people arrive dressed in outfits lit up with glow sticks, turning the riverbank into part of the display itself.
National recognition followed, unexpectedly. The Christmas Boat was listed by Realestate.com among the Top 5 Christmas displays in Australia and featured by Channel Seven News in their Top 10 for NSW. It was never the goal, but it was a moment of pride.
Asked why the Christmas Boat has become so meaningful, Deb and Jamie are modest. They believe it is because it is joyful, a little cheeky, and unmistakably local. A boat covered in lights, elves, and Santa cruising the river is unexpected. It makes people smile. And because it is created by locals for locals, the community has embraced it as their own.
Behind the scenes, the effort is significant. Planning begins almost as soon as one Christmas ends. Ideas are sketched, materials are sourced, and recycled items are collected. Store bought decorations rarely survive the salt air, so much of the display is handmade. Installing the display takes five to six weeks, with every light tested and every cable tie carefully placed. One small change can mean rethinking the entire setup.
December brings the nightly routine. For almost a month, Santa takes his place on the front deck, music is queued, lights are fired up, and for an hour each night the river comes alive. Social media updates roll on, as does the budgeting.
Keeping the tradition alive comes with real financial pressure. Fuel alone cost $350 last Christmas. Insurance, maintenance, materials, and compliance requirements all add up. A major challenge came when their long term storage option ended, forcing them to rent a shed. Storage now costs close to $2,000 a year. With only around $20 a week set aside to fund the Christmas Boat, the strain is real.
Deb and Jamie have explored options such as becoming a not for profit or selling merchandise, but both come with costs and commitments beyond their capacity. Their goal has always been to keep the Christmas Boat simple, achievable, and grounded in community spirit.
Despite rising costs, they remain committed. The joy, the encouragement, and the messages of appreciation outweigh the challenges. The Christmas Boat has become part of the Yamba and Iluka festive season, and that sense of shared ownership matters.
To help ensure the tradition can continue, Deb and Jamie have started a GoFundMe after many locals asked for a way to contribute. Asking for help did not come easily, but every contribution makes a difference. They are also open to hearing from businesses who may wish to support the Yamba–Iluka Christmas Boat in a way that aligns with its community focused values.
As the lights continue to shine on the Clarence River each December, one thing is clear. The Christmas Boat is no longer just a display. It is part of the Valley’s Christmas story.
For many families, Christmas on the Clarence River does not feel complete until the lights appear on the Yamba–Iluka Christmas Boat.
This year, the story behind the tradition matters more than ever.
Read how it began, what it takes to keep it going, and why community support now matters.
Read the full story here: https://www.cvci.com.au/news/2984448_keeping-a-community-tradition-alive-the-yamba-iluka-christmas-boat
