With sleigh bells ringing in everybody's ears suburban streets across Australia are sparkling in red and green.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As a tradition led by residents, the grassroots nature of suburban Christmas displays have become a magnet to festive-goers around the nation and some even rival the displays in the cities.
Christmas light displays continue to grow in size as residents embrace the notion of "go big or go home" this post pandemic festive season.
The tradition exploded in Australia during the 1980s when lights became affordable and suburban one-upmanship resulted in entire streets participating in decorating their homes.
Lights became an integral part of the holiday season in 1882 when the first Christmas tree was lit by electric lights in New York, as a part of Thomas Edison's publicity stunt to popularise the incandescent bulb.
In NSW, the Christmas Lights Spectacular at Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin is the Southern Hemisphere's largest display of Christmas lights, with over three million lights illuminating 14 hectares of breathtaking gardens.
At Farmhouse Avenue in Pitt Town, in the Hawkesbury region near Sydney, the Christmas lights display includes over 50,000 lights and interactive snow play. They will be fundraising for Lights for Kids and the Sydney Children's Hospital.
Martin Place in Sydney CBD will once again be home to NSW's tallest Christmas tree, with a three metre star and more than 300 shining baubles.
In Victoria, Mount Dandenong, Thomastown and Ivanhoe have attracted revellers in recent years for their eccentric displays and this year will be no different.
At 7 Ornata Road, Mount Dandenong, in Melbourne's east, Benhaylem Hollow has been glowing each December for 15 years. Once a local secret, this elaborate display is now a drawcard and will be supporting Children's Starlight Foundation from donations.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The famous Boulevard Christmas lights in Ivanhoe in Melbourne's north will be sparkling again this year. Accompanied by food trucks, carols, and even a Santa sighting, this suburban Christmas mainstay is one to see.
Other notable attractions in the outer suburbs of Melbourne include Tennyson Avenue in Preston, Rawdon Court in Boronia and The Boulevard in Thomastown.
Adventure Park in Geelong, in southwest Victoria, has been transformed into a "Festival of Lights". Around three million lights have been installed across the park.
In Brisbane a local favourite is 634 Beams Road Carseldine. Paladin Place in Bald Hills is another must-see in Brisbane for Brad's Xmas Lights, a joyful synchronised light show set to music, starting on December 17th.
ACT residents will be happy to know that Kambah's beloved Christmas lights in Bissenberger Crescent are back for the last time, after the pandemic and personal circumstances prevented the famous lightshow, which had been running since 1992.
Other notable Christmas light shows around the country include:
- Fisher Drive, Herdsmans Cove, Hobart, Tasmania
- Kennedy street, Longford, Launceston, Tasmania
- Ninth Avenue, St Peters, Adelaide, South Australia
- Sherlock Rise, Carramar, Perth, Western Australia
- Pontiac Avenue, Cloverdale, Perth, Western Australia
The Christmas Lights Search website provides a comprehensive map of every Christmas light display around the country and is a handy tool for anyone seeking some local festive cheer.
