Australian Nativity Scene created by artist Wilson Fernandez in a traditional style
Welcome to Australian Nativity Scene
Christmas is a time of sharing the joy of festivity and celebration. St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Dandenong North welcomes you to its famous traditional and the largest Nativity Scene of its kind in Australia. The annual Christmas nativity scene is designed, created and displayed by artist Wilson Fernandez each year. It has grown in size and in quality too. The display quality and the attention to details is captured in the most realistic form by Wilson that would keep the viewer amazed.
Its regarded as one of Australia’s best display that people from all over, and all walks of life come to view during the Christmas time. It was Fr. Tad Ziolkowski who introduced Wilson to create the Nativity Scene display at St. Elizabeth’s Parish in 2004. In the very first year the size of the nativity scene was built on a medium rectangular size table, which has grown since then.
Wilson plans around June-July each year for the annual Nativity Scene display. His ideas and creativity is to create and build the most authentic traditional style nativity scene that takes the onlooker to the times of Christ. Every year people look forward for something new. The innovation and creativity keeps growing and keeps Wilson preoccupied. He uses the natural resources and the materials like the soil, sand, twigs, stones, barks, grasses and more to build the landscapes, houses, temples, palaces, towns/villages, fountains and rivers etc. to give the best artistic finishing touches on this project that usually commences in the first week of advent. His family supports him for this project. The parishioners help and support to meet the expenses to buy the materials and figurines for this project.
Wilson creates the display that tells the story about Christmas i.e. from week one the entry of Mary and Joseph into the town in search of a place to give birth followed by the birth of Jesus, arrivals of the three kings until the holy family flee to Egypt. Each week the display and adjustments are done to the nativity scene by introducing new characters/figurines etc. People love the concept and it has become Australia’s most favourite Nativity Scene over the years.
The display is open to public usually from second week of Advent i.e. around the second week of December until the arrivals of King (usually up to second week of January). Visitors come from all over the places to view the greatest traditional Australian Nativity Scene display. Keep watching this page for further details.
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- Attractions/things to do