Light Up Your Summer with Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular
No visit to the Hunter Valley is truly complete until you've experienced Hunter Valley Gardens.
This rings especially true during the festive season when the gardens transform into a magical wonderland, hosting Australia and the southern hemisphere's most spectacular light display - the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular, running from 1 November 2024 until 26 January 2025.
This year's display boasts an incredible four million lights, creating the most dazzling spectacle yet. Whether you're with family, friends, that special someone, or work colleagues, you'll find endless enchantment across eight acres of stunning illuminated displays, complete with exciting rides, entertaining performances, delightful picnic spots, and fantastic food and beverage options. It's an unforgettable evening out that captivates visitors of every age!
Kim Jacobs, Marketing Manager at Hunter Valley Gardens (HVG), describes this year's event as their most ambitious to date.
"We're thrilled to welcome both returning guests and first-time visitors to Hunter Valley Gardens this festive season," said Kim.
"The holiday period is our favourite time of year, and we can't wait to share the Christmas magic with newcomers experiencing it for the first time. Between our stunning four million lights, exciting carnival rides, incredible displays, and entertaining live shows, we're proud to help create lasting family memories throughout the Christmas and Summer seasons."
The Christmas Lights Spectacular is a massive undertaking, requiring six months of dedicated work annually. A skilled team of over 40 staff spends three months installing the displays and another three months carefully dismantling them. As the nation's largest light show, it's perfect for any escape, whether midweek or at the weekend.
"The Christmas Lights Spectacular has become a cherished holiday tradition for countless families. But its appeal extends far beyond that - we see romantic couples, sweet proposal moments in the Lover's Tunnel, young couples on dates, and organised senior group visits. What truly warms our hearts are the families who return year after year to capture photos of their children at their favourite displays, similar to an annual Santa photo,” says Kim.
“Watching these children grow through yearly visits makes us feel privileged to be part of such precious family traditions."
This Christmas Lights Spectacular has the family holiday card sorted, with more photo opportunities than ever across the gardens, including a brand new 13-metre-tall Christmas tree or the giant Mr & Mrs Claus installations at the Big Red Chair, to name just a couple. Enter a new world around every corner with themed event zones, including Rocking Reindeers, Toyland, Festive Shores, Up Up & Away, Candyland, Fairyland, 12 Days of Christmas, Winter Wonderland and Christmas World.
Families can also take a picture with Santa Claus until 24 December at an additional cost to cap off all the fun.
The Christmas Lights Spectacular opens at 5.30pm and closes at 10.30pm (last entry at 9.30pm). On arrival, it’s a good idea to download the QR code, which contains a map you can follow, ensuring you don’t miss seeing anything.
From the top of the Gardens, near the entry, head left to check out the Festive Shores and Toyland, featuring giant Christmas toy soldiers, biplanes, Santa delivering presents and teddy bears before checking out the Up Up & Away balloons. Candyland is next on the lights trail with lollies, candy canes, and lollipops to check out before arriving in Winter
Wonderland, a beautiful snowscape of snowflakes and reindeer. Backtrack a little and visit Fairyland, a formal garden with a fountain featuring fairies on the hedges, Snow White and Cinderella. Now you’re in the thick of rides, stage shows, and glorious food, so it's time to take a break and refuel! You’ll also find Mr and Mrs Claus nearby. Work your way along the trail to the 12 Days of Christmas, which many consider a highlight and not to be missed.
Along the way, you’ll encounter The Christmas World Marquee, where children can write letters to Santa and drop them in the mailbox, a Santa sleigh for photo opportunities, Santa’s workshops and reindeer in the trees (so be sure to look up!)
In addition to the fabulous light displays, there is a packed show program ready to dazzle guests. Throughout November, the program includes the Pretty Amazing Jono & Bravissimo Christmas Magic Show and the Little Scallywagz Christmas Show. December sees everything from November plus combined shows, and of course, a highlight of the season is the New Year’s Eve fireworks display at 9pm and the special kids' NYE Stage Show featuring the Little Scallywagz.
After the New Year, the program changes slightly to include more stage shows for the kids, featuring the amazing Little Scallywagz Pirate Show. Argh! The full program is available to view on the HVG website at www.huntervalleygardens.com.au
It's impossible to miss the gorgeous 25-metre Ferris Wheel that dominates the backdrop of the gardens and from which you can relax and soak up the views to feel the magic of the twinkling lights below you. Children and the young at heart will enjoy a spin on the amusement rides that are always a popular favourite, such as the spectacular 35-metrelong Superslide for the bold and daring, the classic dizzy-making Swing Chairs, a traditional vintage Venetian Carousel that was handmade in Italy and the twisty twirly Spinning Teacups for the little ones will all help to make it an unmissable event.
If all this fun makes you hungry, feed the family with an abundance of food and beverage options available throughout the grounds; food offerings include woodfired pizza, burgers, loaded fries, nachos, hot dogs, corn on a stick, dumplings, samosas and loads more. Beverages include mango lassi, bubble tea, soft drinks, juice, slushies and more. For those with a sweet tooth, enjoy family favourites, including doughnuts, churros, gelato, dessert cups, waffles on a stick, and ice cream cups drizzled with Belgian chocolate, to name a few.
For families who wish to have a BYO picnic, there is the option to enjoy a packed meal or BBQ in the park near the HVG Shopping Village (picnics are not permitted in the gardens themselves). HVG offers re-entry passes if you’re coming back in the same session. You’ll need to see the staff at the entry gate to take advantage of this option.
HVG again offers a combined day and evening pass so visitors can enjoy the full garden experience during the daytime and the evening’s Christmas Lights Spectacular. Enjoy everything the gardens have to offer during the day, exit by 4.30pm when the gardens have to be vacated, enjoy a beverage at a nearby winery or pub and then return from 5.30pm when the light shows begin. It’s the perfect day out.
There are accommodation packages available that include entry to the Christmas Lights Spectacular, six ride tickets per person, accommodation for one night and a breakfast buffet. The package through The Mercure is for two adults and two children and starts from $389/room per night midweek or $489/room per night on weekends. Harrigan's accommodation offering is for two adults and one child at $309/room per night midweek or $409/room per night on weekends. Note that weekends attract a minimum stay of two nights.
It is annual events such as this one that make the Hunter Valley so special. From luxurious accommodations to family-friendly resorts, world-class wineries, and award-winning restaurants, the region caters to everyone - with many venues offering dedicated children's activities and expansive spaces for young explorers. Summer in the Hunter Valley creates magical memories for families with children of all ages. The kids explore manicured gardens, challenge each other at aqua golf, get up close with native wildlife, or saddle up for horseback adventures - then cap off your perfect day amid the enchanting glow of the Christmas Lights Spectacular. And for locals, why not start a new tradition? Gather your friends or colleagues for an evening that promises to ignite the festive spirit.
One thing's certain - wonder and joy await at every turn. Visit www.huntervalleygardens.com.au for tickets and more information.
