If you’re looking for a truly magical way to celebrate Christmas, get tickets to the Hunter Valley Gardens’ Christmas Lights Spectacular! This event is pure festive wonder – and it’s become a must-do tradition for our Playing in Puddles family.
They already hold the crown for the largest Christmas light display in the southern hemisphere – and yet this year, they’ve gone even bigger, erecting more than 4.5 million lights across eight acres of dazzling new displays. But it’s not just the scale that wows, it’s the creativity. These installations are designed to surprise and delight, transforming the gardens into a twinkling Christmas storybook come to life.
Among the new attractions this year, you’ll find:
- The Italian Grotto Garden is lighting up for the very first time. Named Ho Ho Harvest, this brand-new area will be filled with dazzling new sculptures – from glowing poinsettias to cheeky garden elves.
- A festive Hunter Valley Gardens test match display. In this delightfully Aussie summer scene, you’ll find Santa, Mrs Claus and the elves mid-cricket game, batting it out with candy-cane stumps and plenty of festive cheer.
- Mistletoe Meadow. A romantic new addition featuring a spectacular three-metre illuminated mistletoe arch – perfect for a Christmas-card snap (and a festive kiss or two).
- Holiday Hollow: The Christmas Tree Farm. Wander through a forest of glittering trees and oversized glowing presents, crowned by a breathtaking six-metre Christmas tree.
- Santaville: this is a Where’s Wally Santa edition. From sleighs and rooftops to snowy scenes, you’ll be able to eye-spy Santa and his team throughout this merry wonderland.
- The Evergreen Tavern. For the grown-ups, this cosy new nook is decked in twinkling lights and Christmas trees. It’s the perfect spot to clink glasses and unwind after all that festive exploring.
Of course, all the favourites have returned: the walk-through gingerbread house and snowman, the dancing trees and that famous Big Red Chair. But the magic doesn’t stop there: this is a full-scale Christmas festival. They have five permanent rides, so you can take a spin on the Ferris wheel or carousel, zoom down the giant slide, or dizzy yourself silly on the spinning teacups and giant swing. There’s a live Nutcracker show, a four-piece band singing your favourite carols, delicious food and a sackful of festive cheer.
The Christmas Lights Spectacular runs from Friday 7 November 2025 to Monday 26 January 2026 – and trust us, it’s worth every twinkle.
Scroll down to discover our top tips, what’s new, and how to make the most of this year’s event – or click below to head straight to their website.
This is the biggest Christmas Lights Display in the Southern Hemisphere!
For those who haven’t been before, we should start by saying that this display is no ordinary Bunnings-bought lights-adorning-hedges-type affair. No, no, this is far bigger and better and way more impressive than that. The Hunter Valley Gardens’ Christmas Lights Spectacular is the BIGGEST Christmas lights display in the southern hemisphere! They have more than 4.5 million lights!
Interact with more than 20 immersive displays!
Multiple new immersive walk-through installations have been added in recent years, making a visit here more memorable than ever. Climb aboard Santa’s sleigh, snap a photo beneath the Heart Tunnel of Love, and wander straight through the belly of Snowy – the giant snowman.
The “12 Days of Christmas” section invites you to sing along as the lights glow to life with every verse, and there’s more than just a scattering of sugar – picture towers of liquorice allsorts, giant jelly jubes, chick-topped cupcakes, ice-cream sundaes, wrapped sweets, jellybeans, gingerbread men and lollipops galore. Pop out from a giant present, wander beneath reindeer archways, and race between glowing baubles, garden gnomes, hot-air balloons and twinkling Christmas trees.
It’s a glittering, joy-filled wonderland that’s every bit as magical as it looks – and guaranteed to make your Insta friends a little jealous.
Have your photo taken with Santa!
Every evening until Christmas, Santa himself will be waiting in the igloo marquee to meet with children, hear about gift lists, and pose for Santa photos. Santa photos are available until Boxing Day.
See festive stage shows, sing carols with a live band, and don’t forget the fireworks!
Enjoy the Little Scallywagz Nutcracker Story Time Experience and a special meet-n-greet with the characters post-show. Sing along to “Jingle Bells”, “O Holy Night”, and all of your favourite festive carols with the dynamic four-piece Felix Quinn Band. See the schedule of shows on the Hunter Valley Gardens’ website here, so you don’t miss out on your fave entertainers.
You’ll also be well-entertained by larger-than-life festive characters, such as stilt walkers, a unicycling juggler and, our favourite, Lollypop Lyra, who you’ll find spinning and soaring gracefully in a glowing hoop under the Christmas lights.
And not forgetting the biggest of all lights displays: fireworks on New Year’s Eve! (9pm).
Enjoy the carnival atmosphere and experience the Hunter Valley Gardens’ five permanent rides!
The Gardens has five beautiful permanent rides open this festive season too, including a giant 35-metre super slide and 11m swing chair for daring thrill-seekers. The tea cup ride invites you to enjoy a gentle twirl or crazy spin while The Ferris wheel lifts you 25m into the air and grants you a view over the gardens, nearby vineyards and wineries and the surrounding mountain ranges. But it’s the traditional Venetian carousel, made in Italy to the Gardens’ design specifications, that is a favourite of ours with its giraffes, lions, horses and elephants.
Food glorious food
You won’t go hungry. The food stalls are well-priced and include tasty dishes that’ll keep the whole fam-bam happy.
This year they’ve set up the brand new Evergreen Tavern: a marquee where mum and dad can enjoy some “adulting” and order a wine, beer or spirit (or a juice or softie if you’re duty driver).
At the food marquees you’ll find Italian wood-fired pizza, dumplings, samosas, loaded fries, nachos, hot dogs, kranskys and tonnes more! Plus, there are plenty of “special treat” desserts, such as artisanal fairy floss, gelato, waffles and hot cinnamon doughnuts. The doughnut dude always gets our dollar bucks – they’re winning.
Our Tips for visiting the Hunter Valley Gardens’ Christmas Lights Spectacular
We visit this wonderful event every year. Here are our recommendations so you can make it the best experience possible:
- Bring jackets as it gets surprisingly chilly of an evening. We normally take beanies too.
- If you have a child aged four or under, we recommend taking a stroller. As this is an evening activity, they do get sleepy, so save your arms and bring the stroller.
- Visit in November and soak up the serenity before the season’s bustle arrives. Our Playing in Puddles’ family visit in November every year: it’s the perfect way to ring in the start of the festive season. It’s the perfect night to slow down and feel the wonder of Christmas. There are fewer people and the sun sets earlier, so little ones will experience more of the lights while they’re still awake.
- There are toilets to the left just beyond the entry. Get all the kids to go to the loo as soon as you walk in and again at the very end of the night before you all pile back into the car. It works for our family and it saves you from having to do multiple trips to the bathroom all through the night.
- Make a night of it! Get there at 5.30pm to enjoy the rides, entertainment, and dinner on the lawn. Then wander the gardens as it starts to get dark.
Should you go? Heck yes!
We’re so lucky to have the Christmas Lights Spectacular just a hop, skip, jump from the Central Coast. This event is so special – we really can’t recommend it enough and the photos just don’t do it justice. The size and scope and beauty of it can really only be appreciated once you’ve experienced it.
We highly recommend you add a visit this year to your Christmas list.
Plan your visit to the Hunter Valley Gardens’ Christmas Lights Spectacular
When: Friday 7 November 2025 – Monday 26 January 2026 (closed 25 December 2025).
Gardens open daily 9am-4.30pm; lights open 5.30pm-10.30pm (last entry 9.30pm). Rides are open 6pm-10pm.
Weather: If thunderstorms hit, the event may be called off until the storm passes. Weather updates will be posted on the Hunter Valley Gardens Facebook page.
Access: All of the paths within the Hunter Valley Gardens are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly.
Location: The Hunter Valley Gardens, 2090 Broke Road, Pokolbin.
Phone: 02 4998 4000
Website: www.huntervalleygardens.com.au
Cost: Hunter Valley Gardens recommends tickets be purchased online prior to arrival. Admission charges apply. Amusement rides are user pay & height restrictions apply. Santa photos ($40-$60 packages) are an additional cost to Garden entry and are only available until 26 December 2025.
Christmas Lights Spectacular Entry Adult $41 | Child (4-15 yrs) $31 | Children 3 and under Free | Companion Card holders Free | Family Pass (1 Adult + 2 Children) $96 | Family Pass (2 Adults + 1 Child) $102 | Family Pass (2 Adults + 2 Children) $126 | Ride passes are an additional cost and are available at the ticket booth in the rides area in the Hunter Valley Gardens.
Day/Night Entry Combination day/night tickets are also available, allowing guests to experience the best of both worlds with the entire Garden being open to explore during the day and then join the excitement of Christmas Lights Spectacular at night. Details are available on the website.
Rides Prices Rides can be purchased singly for $6/ride or 6 rides for $30. Ride passes cannot be pre-purchased. They are available at the ticket booth at the rides area in the Hunter Valley Gardens.
Annual Passes Planning on coming to the Gardens again and again? Their Annual Passes offer unlimited entry to the Hunter Valley Gardens and all of their events for 12 months, including their Snow Time in the Gardens, Mega Creatures and Giant Easter Egg Hunt events. It makes a great Christmas gift! To find out more about annual passes, visit the website,
Accommodation + Christmas Light Spectacular Entry Packages
You can easily attend the Christmas Lights Spectacular from the Central Coast without the need for accommodation, but it also makes for a super lovely excuse for a night away. You can get accommodation/entry packages at Mercure Hunter Valley and Harrigan’s Hunter Valley.
Mercure Hunter Valley package:
- 1 night accommodation in a Studio Room
- Buffet Breakfast
- Family entry tickets (2 adults and 2 children) into Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular
- 6 ride tickets per person
Family price: 2 adults and 2 children $399 per room per night midweek* OR 2 adults and 2 children $499 per room per night Friday/Saturday*. T&C apply. Book here.
Harrigan’s Hunter Valley package:
- 1 night accommodation in a Standard Studio Room
- Breakfast
- Family entry tickets (2 adults & 1 child) into Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular
- 6 ride tickets per person
Family price: 2 adults & 1 child $339 per room per night midweek* OR 2 adults & 1 child $439 per room per night Friday/Saturday*. T&C apply. Book here.
WIN a Family Pass to the Christmas Lights Spectacular!
Want to win a family pass to the Christmas LIghts Spectacular? Of course you do!
To be in with a chance to win, simply subscribe to our free newsletter by entering your details below*. Already a subscriber? Just add your details below so we know you want to enter this fabulous comp.
*COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS
PRIZE: We are giving away one family pass to the Hunter Valley Gardens' Christmas LIghts Spectacular. The Family Pass is valid for 2 Adults + 2 Children and is valued at $126.
COMPETITION OPENS: 11am 12 November 2025.
COMPETITION CLOSES: Midnight 11 December 2025.
ENTRY TERMS: By entering, we’ll email future issues of Playing in Puddles’ weekly newsletter free to your inbox (you may unsubscribe at any time). This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook. Click here for extended terms.
PRIZE TERMS: This prize is valid for the 2025-2026 Hunter Valley Gardens' Christmas LIghts Spectacular. The winner will be notified by email. The Winner has 2 days to reply to redeem their prize. If the winner does not reply in that time, Playing in Puddles reserves the right to choose another winner. Prize is not redeemable for cash and not transferable. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Facebook. Click here.
Written By: KATIE STOKES
Founder & Editor
After working in print and online media for more than a decade, Katie launched Playing in Puddles in 2017. A mum of three young boys and local of the Central Coast, Katie loves discovering and sharing all that’s happening in our region.
