Santa skis to Murray Bridge in new children’s book
Father Christmas makes his way down the River Murray in a new book by Ballarat author Dave O'Neill.
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A Victorian author has put Murray Bridge at the heart of his new Christmas story.
Santa Skis the Murray, the second book from Ballarat author Dave O’Neill, depicts Santa’s fun river journey to Murray Bridge, where he’s given a rock star welcome.
The story begins with Santa crashing into the river at Albury on a pre-Christmas training flight.
When he learns there’s a back-up sleigh at Murray Bridge, he decides the best way to get there is to water ski – of course.
On his way to Murray Bridge, Santa skis, wakeboards, barefoots and canoes past the River Murray’s scenic towns and holiday spots.
He may be on a mission, but he always makes time for fun.
The author, Mr O’Neill, is from a big water skiing family – two of his brothers live on the banks of Lake Mulwalah, and his father John owns Ballarat’s Skin Ski and Surf.
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Mr O’Neill said that his father had pushed him to make Murray Bridge Santa’s final destination in Santa Skis the Murray.
“My dad’s skiied there, tells me I was skiing there when I was a junior,” he said.
“He’s waterskiied everywhere, and he was really big on Murray Bridge being the last stop, and I took the advice.
“It’s also that Murray Bridge would be a place a lot of people know of and might have even visited a couple of times, and it’s a good-looking place.”
For the last scene in his book, illustrated by Isabella Gagliano, Mr O’Neill even thought about who would greet Santa in Murray Bridge.
“I sort of imagine if Santa did come to Murray Bridge, what sort of turn-out would it be, and I think it’d go down pretty well,” he said.
Copies of Santa Skis the Murray are available to purchase at Murray Bridge’s Above Board Shop and also at the Murray Bridge Visitor Information Centre.
- More information: www.shawlinepublishing.com.au.
