LEGO Christmas tree at Federation Square, Melbourne

Fed Square is a central meeting point for many Melbournian that is just right outside Flinders Street main station – the main hub for transport going to the suburbs and other towns within the state of Victoria, Australia. Or indeed just meeting up before heading out to town, be it a tram to St Kilda, Crown Casino or the many eateries and pubs (hotels they are called there) in the Central Business District (CBD).

Having lived in Melbourne (and driven past it on countless occasions) it always brings a smile to my face whenever I see it in the news.

An image of the 10-metre Lego Christmas tree at Federation Square in Melbourne, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. The tree, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, is took 1200 hours to make while the surrounding decorations took several hundreds of hours more. (AAP Image /Luke Costin) NO ARCHIVING
An image of the 10-metre Lego Christmas tree at Federation Square in Melbourne, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015. The tree, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, is took 1200 hours to make while the surrounding decorations took several hundreds of hours more. (AAP Image /Luke Costin) NO ARCHIVING

LEGO have really made an impact this year by creating the  largest LEGO Xmas tree in the Southern Hemisphere with direct input from the actual LEGO team.

I would love to see this – more so for the fact that I still have some very good friends of mine there which I normally share a frothy or a chicken parma with!

lego

The time lapse video shows how it was built, and the text below from the Herald Sun gives more detail:

IT took more than 1,200 hours to make, but you can see how Melbourne’s LEGO Christmas tree came to life in less than a minute in this cool time-lapse video. The largest LEGO Christmas tree in the Southern Hemisphere lit up at Federation Square yesterday, complete with an Aussie touch.

The 10-metre tall tree, made of more than 200,000 LEGO bricks and nearly 3500 LEDs. Kookaburras and a koala sit high among the leaves of the tree, closer to eye-level, an elf is playing cricket.

And a time-lapse video shows exactly how it was made.

“That’s the biggest LEGO I’ve seen in my life!” seven-year-old Emma Leen said after the tree was unveiled.

Lego master builder Chris Steininger said: “When you think of all the different elements — from the baubles to the kookaburras to the lighting — it means hundreds of hours of design time to create it and thousands of hours to build it.

The US-based Lego designer said teams from Denmark, the US and Australia had been involved in producing the massive display.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE LEGO SET:

* Christmas tree: 1200 hours to build, 200,000+ bricks

* Life-size Santa: 210 hours, 25,000+ bricks

* Santa’s sleigh: 200 hours, 30,000+ bricks

* LED tree-topping star: 150 hours, 13,195 bricks, 3456 LED lights.

 

Author Profile

Keith
My name is Keith and I am a AFOL. Currently an expat living out in Basel, CH, but have a firm footing back in the UK when time permits.

I have had had Lego ever since I can remember - and only until my wee one came along have I re-kindled the flame for building again.

I also run matchbox1-75.co.uk, a resource site for the 1-75 series of miniatures by Matchbox.

There are only three themes that I am get/collect (finances permitting) - City, Creator (Advanced and Expert) as well as the classic Star Wars sets from Eps IV to VI (anything else does not exist). I also keep an eye in Europe with ample chance to see how France, Germany and Switzerland market and offer LEGO.

Keith

My name is Keith and I am a AFOL. Currently an expat living out in Basel, CH, but have a firm footing back in the UK when time permits. I have had had Lego ever since I can remember - and only until my wee one came along have I re-kindled the flame for building again. I also run matchbox1-75.co.uk, a resource site for the 1-75 series of miniatures by Matchbox. There are only three themes that I am get/collect (finances permitting) - City, Creator (Advanced and Expert) as well as the classic Star Wars sets from Eps IV to VI (anything else does not exist). I also keep an eye in Europe with ample chance to see how France, Germany and Switzerland market and offer LEGO.

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