Christmas tree going up in Octagon this week

The star is placed on the Christmas tree in the Octagon yesterday by (from left) Bert Spenkle and John Wilson, of Network Visuals, signalling the start of the Christmas season.

The Dunedin City Council contractor is erecting and decorating the tree this week.

The tree stands about 12m high and weighs almost one tonne.

It will remain up in the lower part of the Octagon until just before New Year's Eve while all the other council Christmas decorations will remain until the first week of January.

The public lighting of the Christmas tree will be this Saturday from 6.15pm, with the lighting happening at 9pm.