Christmas is only a few weeks away and boy, does Canberra love its festive lights!
While hundreds of thousands of LED lights have been dispersed onto houses across the community, Canberra’s most extra Christmas light homes don’t stop there.
The houses worth driving across town for will include inflatable Santas, reindeer, music, lasers, projections, fully lit roofs, ornately decorated garden elements, and interactive archways.
Whether you’re looking for Christmas lights on the northside or southside of Canberra, we’ve got you covered. Step out with the family and enjoy the wonders of the season in your local community and across the city.
As an eight-year-old boy answered when asked what three gifts the three wise men carried: “Gold, frankincense and …?”, he replied: “Christmas lights!”
Canberra Northside Christmas light displays
Ngunnawal
The residents of Beela Place waste no time getting into the Christmas spirit every year where a local tradition takes place. Many properties in the street are lit up and you might even say a bit of neighbourly rivalry exists too. A great vibe to experience as you walk around admiring the sights and sounds. Running nightly 8.30pm to 10.30pm to just after Christmas.
Forde
The east Gungahlin suburb of Forde has risen to prominence as one of Canberra’s places to go for Christmas lights since its infancy in the early 2010s. While a drive around the suburb will reveal plenty of festively dressed homes, Huddy Street is certainly the pick of the lot. Over 10,000 lights decorate numerous houses on both sides of the road.
Fraser
One of the best displays on the north side is at 120 Bingley Crescent, Fraser. Watch the Christmas trains. Join the kids to enjoy the bubble machine, glow bracelets and fun activities. To enjoy it all, you will need to get out of the car.
Ainslie
Come take a look at one outstanding home on Stephen Street! Rare to find in Canberra’s more established Inner North, well strung-out lights encompass the building to create a tasteful display, with the feature being a five-metre tall giant blow-up Santa and reindeer!
Dunlop
They go all out in Dunlop! Known as one of Canberra’s most densely lit suburbs at Christmas time, if you make the trip out to see the lights you’re such to leave satisfied.
Triton Street is a full street of lights with many houses joining in on the festivities! Get out of the car for this one and have a leisurely stroll around and enjoy lots of moving features, music and projections.
This home on Hobday Place (pictured above) is a true feast for the eyes! With the house, roof, garden and hedges all covered in twinkles, this modern and fun display is a must to add to your Christmas lights trail! So many Christmas and cartoon characters that the kids are sure to fall in love with! The lights stay on a bit later this year, running to 11pm nightly with the display finishing on Christmas Eve.
Scurry Street is known as a great Christmas light street, but this one house takes the Christmas cake! The owners spend about a month setting this one up, which his no surprise given you’ll find over 45,000 lights, great displays and inflatables including a 5 metre high Santa!
Make sure you add Elischer Street to your drive list too – with a neat mixture of lights, lasers and motifs!
Holt
Be sure to check out the cute display on Postle Circuit, decorated entirely by a ten-year-old girl! The front garden is filled with a variety of solar lights and Christmas displays. Please do drive past or stop by to enjoy her hard work.
Canberra Southside Christmas light displays
Rivett
Head to 34 Croton Street, Rivett to check out the fabulous garden and house display of lights with lit trees, house trim and a nativity scene. Wander the paths through the lights or just sit on the seats provided and enjoy the surroundings, nightly 8.30-11.30pm (or by prior arrangement) until 1 January .
Kambah
For about 15 years, the owners at Bissenberger Crescent have been putting together a delightful display for all ages to enjoy. Taking over four weeks to unpack and set up, you’ll be thrilled by the magical Christmas lights that blanket the lawn and house. Admire music, moving features, lots of lights and a handmade Christmas village! Running between 8pm and 10.30pm nightly.
Gordon
The south Tuggeranong suburb of Gordon is well known for getting into their Christmas lights, with no shortage of streets to choose from.
Both Harry Hopman Circuit and Clem Hill Street are worth a drive or stroll to see numerous illuminated houses, but there are plenty of areas worth visiting while in the neighbourhood.
Gowrie
Middleton Circuit features a few magnificent displays that light up year after year for local families and visitors to enjoy. This one house takes the cake though, with thousands of lights, lasers and an awesome Christmas window scene. The display is interactive and the owners are fundraising for local cancer charities by selling handmade gifts and sweets! If the weather is good, have a stroll and visit the other houses nearby.
A popular display with Gowrie locals, you’ll find heaps of lights and interactive displays on Ruthven Street. The owners make no compromise and even claim that theirs is the largest solar-powered display in all of the city! Supporting MS Australia with Christmas raffles and food to enjoy.
Last but certainly not least is Stacy Street, a large Christmas light house with thousands and thousands of lights blanketing the front yard and hanging between the trees. Not to mention lasers, inflatables and more!
Oxley
An absolutely spectacular Christmas light show awaits on Newman-Morris Circuit, Oxley with over 40,000 LED Pixels synchronised to some rocking Christmas tunes! Bring a radio or listen in your car (tune into 103.1FM) to enjoy the show and watch the colourful lights come alive to the music.
Conder
Roll up to this corner-block computerised light display on Eaglemount Retreat, Conder where all the lights are synchronised to music! Heaps of fun songs to listen to from the footpath, or in your car, by tuning in to FM93.5. The owners tell us the kids love the singing Christmas props – Bluey and the Minions! The show runs until about 11.30pm each night up to and including Christmas night.
Visit Christmas Light Search for a full list of all the best Christmas Lights in Canberra 2022, and start planning your Christmas Lights adventure!
If you know of a brilliant Christmas light display to add to this list, please email [email protected] with the details (and a photo, or three, if possible). We’ve already updated our list with new sites since it was first posted early Tuesday morning, 6 December.
Thanks to Lachlan from Christmas Light Search for providing us with this list and images to share with our readers.
