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 wonder – and a visit here has become a must-do annual tradition for our Playing in Puddles family.
We've visited many times over the years, and it never fails to take our breath away. Yes, it's the largest Christmas lights display in the Southern Hemisphere, with millions of twinkling lights, but what makes this event so special isn't simply its size. It's the incredible creativity, imagination and beauty of it all.
There's the cute and the funny, the traditional and the nostalgic, the wonderfully whimsical and the downright spectacular. You'll find cheeky elves, giant gingerbread houses, Santa and his reindeer, enormous glowing sweets and dazzling installations that look like they've been plucked straight from a fairytale. Some displays will have the kids giggling, others will fill them with excitement, and then there are those that are just so breathtakingly beautiful you'll want to stand and admire them.
And this year, there's even more magic to discover! Among the new attractions you’ll find:
- Celestial Snowfields: This breathtaking new winter wonderland is where you'll find celestial angels, glowing constellations and twinkling stars. It's a dreamy, walk-through installation that promises to be one of this year's most beautiful additions. And just wait until you see the new floating snow globe dancers performing on the water in front of the waterfall!
- Gingerbread Way: Christmas doesn't get much sweeter than this! Wander through a storybook world of gingerbread houses, candy canes, glowing sweets and larger-than-life lollies. There are interactive elements and festive characters to delight little visitors too.
- Planes, Trains & Automobiles: This much-loved display has been given a fabulous makeover, with illuminated boats, planes, trains, skiing reindeer and even an iconic Aussie ute joining the fun.
And the magic doesn't stop with the lights. There's a whole Christmas festival to enjoy, with five amusement rides, interactive Nutcracker story time, live music, food trucks and Santa photos. New this year are festive characters on roller skates, spectacular floating snow globe performers and family-friendly DJ sessions on Saturdays throughout January.
The Christmas Lights Spectacular runs from 30 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, so there's plenty of time to experience the magic, whether you're kicking off the festive season or looking for something special to do during the summer school holidays.
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 illuminating the Gardens, and the scale, beauty and creativity of these displays is something you really have to see to believe.
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.
Take a seat in the giant red chair, snap a photo beneath festive bells, and wander straight through the belly of the giant Christmas bear.
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 meeting with families, hearing about gift lists, and posing for Santa photos. Santa photos are available from 30 October until 26 December 2026 (excluding Christmas Day). Families can choose from three photo packages, starting at $42.50, with digital images delivered by email.
And for those bringing grandparents, cousins or the whole extended family along, there's even a package that allows for several different family photo combinations.
Enjoy live entertainment, festive characters and fireworks!
There's plenty of entertainment beyond the lights, and this year there are some fabulous new additions.
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 a live four-piece Christmas band on select evenings.
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.
New this year, keep an eye out for Christmas characters on roller skates, who'll be whizzing through the Gardens, stopping to say hello and posing for photos.
And one of the most beautiful new additions has to be the floating snow globe dancers. Dressed in snowy costumes, these performers will glide across the water inside transparent orbs in front of the waterfall at Celestial Snowfields. We can't wait to see this one!
Visiting in January? There'll also be new Summer Sunset DJ Sessions at the Evergreen Tavern every Saturday in January, with family-friendly music from 6pm–9pm.
And not forgetting the biggest of all lights displays: fireworks on New Year's Eve! (9pm).
Tip: Check the entertainment schedule before visiting, as different performers appear on different evenings.
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.
Rides operate from 6pm–10pm and cost $6 each, or you can grab a bonus pack of six tickets for $30. Height and age restrictions apply, so check these before promising the kids a ride.
Food glorious food
You won't go hungry. The food stalls include tasty dishes that'll keep the whole fam-bam happy.
There's plenty to choose from for dinner, including wood-fired pizza, dumplings, Asian-style wraps, wagyu steak, rice bowls, burgers, loaded fries and nuggets for the kids.
Plus, there are plenty of "special treat" desserts, including gelato, waffles, honey balls, gluten-free doughnuts and fairy floss. The doughnut dude always gets our dollar bucks – they're winning.
The Evergreen Tavern is back, 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).
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. It gets surprisingly chilly of an evening. We normally take beanies too.
Take a stroller for little ones. 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. Soak up the serenity before the season's bustle arrives. Our Playing in Puddles family visits in November every year: it's the perfect way to ring in the start of the festive season. It's a lovely 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.
Get the toilet stop out of the way. 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 saves you from having to make multiple bathroom trips throughout 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.
Don't forget that the event continues throughout January. If December gets away from you, there's still plenty of time to visit during the summer school holidays. The new Saturday DJ sessions also add a fun summer atmosphere.
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.
There's something so lovely about watching your kids discover all these magical little worlds. One minute they're laughing at a cheeky Christmas scene, the next they're standing completely mesmerised by an enormous, sparkling installation. It's beautiful, imaginative, whimsical and such a special way to celebrate Christmas together.
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 30 October 2026 – Sunday 31 January 2027 (closed 25 December 2026).
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. Santa photos ($42.50-$62.50 packages) are an additional cost to Garden entry and are only available until 26 December 2026. Ride passes are an additional cost.
Christmas Lights Spectacular Entry Adult $42 | Child (4-15 yrs) $31 | Children 3 and under Free | Companion Card holders Free | Family Pass (1 Adult + 2 Children) $97 | Family Pass (2 Adults + 1 Child) $104 | Family Pass (2 Adults + 2 Children) $128 |
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 Gardens and Harrigan’s Hunter Valley.
Mercure Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular Accommodation 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 $389 per room per night midweek* OR 2 adults and 2 children $489 per room per night Friday/Saturday*. T&C apply. Book here.
Harrigan’s Hunter Valley Christmas Lights Spectacular Accommodation 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 $329 per room per night midweek* OR 2 adults & 1 child $429 per room per night Friday/Saturday*. T&C apply. Book 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.
