General News
20 January, 2026
Hundreds welcome 2026 at Lake Lascelles
Around 500 people welcomed the new year at Lake Lascelles in Hopetoun, with families travelling from across the region to join the community celebration.
Lake Lascelles Committee president Daryl Burdett said organisers couldn’t confirm an exact crowd figure, but the turnout was strong.
“We think, roughly between 450 and 500 people attended the night,” he said.
Cold, windy conditions dominated the night, prompting some to leave earlier than planned.
He added that the weather likely stopped people from staying late.
“It was a really cold, windy night,” Mr Burdett said.
The committee focused on making the event family-friendly, with activities and live entertainment for children and adults.
“The idea of the evening was to make it a real family occasion,” he said.
Face painting ran throughout the evening, alongside performances by guest artists, including singer Briiley Chivevel, and magician Wal Ferguson, who Mr Burdett said “created some magic” and kept the crowd engaged.
There were no fireworks at midnight, but the celebration continued past midnight, finishing about 12.30am.
Mr Burdett said the band had planned to play later, but the weather changed the schedule.
Visitors came from nearby towns and further afield, with campers also staying at the lake.
Mr Burdett said people travelled far and wide, listing towns including Bendigo, Mildura and Swan Hill, as well as smaller Wimmera towns such as Rainbow, Beulah, Brim and Warracknabeal.
Looking ahead, the committee plans to begin organising the next New Year’s Eve event later in the year.
For now, Mr Burdett expects regular lake activity to continue through the warmer months, including boating, skiing and fishing.
Reflecting on the night, Mr Burdett said the highlight was seeing the community together.
“It was great just to see so many people there,” he said.
“I really believe that the family was a great thing.”