Christmas in Brisbane and surrounds: Your ultimate guide
FROM Christmas lights to parades, tours, fireworks and more, we’ve got you covered this festive season.
QLD News
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IT’S starting to look a lot like Christmas, with a giant tree in the city and colourful lights and music blaring from many homes as many “Clark Griswolds” lift their game with impressive synchronised Christmas decorations.
Brady Gray, 34, of North Ipswich, said not only did he and his wife, Bec, 33, enjoy entertaining people who came to see their house pumping out music, colourful lights and even visions of Santa Claus, it had brought neighbours together.
Now in their seventh year and second neighbourhood of decking out their house in digital pixel lights, Mr Gray said most of their neighbours bring a drink down every weekend, sit and enjoy the lights while getting to know other neighbours.
“It happened in our last street in Brassall too,” he said.
“It sort of broke the ice for a lot of people.
“It definitely gets the neighbours talking for sure.”
Mr Gray, an NBN fibre technician, started setting up the 40,000 lights and the handmade 7.5m Christmas tree in late September.
He adds something every year, with this year being shooting stars on the roof of the house.
“Bec comes up with the ideas and tells me I have to fulfil those things,” he said.
“She told me this year I had to go higher. There was no room to go anywhere else, so I added things above the roof.”
The mash-up of Christmas and pop music, interspersed with talking from some famous Christmas movies, is all run by computer.
But it took Mr Gray a total of 40 hours in front of the computer to set up the sequence he was happy with for this year.
Mr Gray said after a rough 2017, where he had a heart attack, his wife found out she had cancer, and an elderly neighbour passed away, they nearly did not decorate.
The Grays’ home is one of many entered in different local annual Christmas light competitions around the region.
In Ipswich, the River 94.9 Christmas light competition winners are announced on December 16.
The overall winner of Brisbane’s annual 4KQ Christmas Lights competition in the Brisbane areas was St Gerard Majella Catholic Church, 146 Maundrel Terrace, West Chermside.
The full list of winners can be found at 4kq.com.au.
Christmas lights bus tours can be booked now, with different bus lines participating in different areas.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk recently announced the city’s annual Christmas in Brisbane festival, comprising free activities and entertainment.
Almost 700,000 visitors attended events staged across the CBD, South Bank and Roma Street Parkland in 2016, with more anticipated to enjoy them this year.
The popular Christmas parade through the City is scheduled to run nightly from the Edward St end of the Queen Street Mall through to King George Square from December 15 to 24.
The parade will include Santa, performers, a nativity scene, music and more.
During the week before Christmas, a Christmas Village, complete with gift markets in the Arbour, will be built in South Bank.
There will also be opportunities to see Santa, enjoy nightly Christmas carols at River Quay and bring togs to enjoy dive-in Christmas movies on Streets Beach.
A Christmas Fireworks Spectacular will occur nightly from December 20 to 23 at South Bank, set a Christmas carols soundtrack.
There are plenty of other activities to see and do throughout the south eastern region, from free movies in the park at Roma Street Parkland, to Santa’s Kingdom at the Logan Hyperdome, where kids can decorate Gingerbread men, write and post a letter to Santa and much more.
In Redlands, their largest free community event, Christmas by Starlight, kicks off from 3pm on December 16 at Norm Price Park, Bloomfield St, Redland Showgrounds. (Public transport info here.)
The mayor’s address and lighting of the Redlands Christmas tree is scheduled for 7.15pm.
The night will include free children’s activities, including face painting, rock climbing and rides, while stallholders and refreshment vendors will be on hand.
Santa and his reindeer are also planning a visit.
Fireworks over Cleveland are scheduled to start at 8pm.
There are two chances in the Moreton Bay region to enjoy community Christmas carols.
The first are scheduled for 3pm to 8pm on December 10 at Scarborough Beach Park, Landsborough Avenue, Scarborough.
The second is between the same times on December 17 at the Caboolture Town Square, 60-78 King St, Caboolture.
Both events will include Santa’s Village with free Christmas activities, a life-sized snow globe, family entertainment, markets, workshops and fireworks to end the night with a bang.
More info on viewing lights or some local events:
Please visit brisbane.qld.gov.au/whats-on or visitbrisbane.com.au
Brisbane
- Myer Christmas windows, Queen Street Mall
- The Gold Lotto City Hall Lights, King George Square, 7.30pm to midnight, now to December 24.
- The Enchanted Garden, Roma Street Parkland, 6.30pm to 9.30pm, now to December 17.
- Christmas Movies in the Park, the Amphitheatre, Roma Street Parkland, 7pm, now to December 17.
- BrisStyle Twilight Markets, King George Square, 9am to 3pm, December 9.
- Christmas Parade, Queen Street Mall to King George Square, 7pm, December 15-24.
- South Bank’s Christmas Village, South Bank Parklands, 3pm to 10pm, December 15-23.
- Christmas Beach Cinema, Streets Beach, South Bank Parklands 6pm and 8pm December 15-23.
- Christmas Carols, River Quay Green, South Bank Parklands 5pm, 6pm and 7pm, December 15-23.
- Christmas Fireworks Spectacular, Clem Jones Promenade, South Bank Parklands, 7.45pm, December 20-23.
Logan
Logan City Council Christmas trees and decorations:
Beenleigh Town Square, Beenleigh
Grand Plaza Drive, Browns Plains
Mandew Street and Bryants Rd, Loganholme/Shailer Park
Chambers Flat Road, Marsden
Station Road and Woodridge train station, parking area, Logan Central
University Drive, Loganlea Road, Meadowbrook
Fitzgerald Avenue and Springwood Park, Springwood
Waterford Tamborine Road and Logan Village Park, Logan Village
Cusack Lane, Jimboomba
On Facebook, join the following groups:
Christmas lights in Logan City;
Logan region Christmas lights;
Lists and maps of Christmas lights in Brisbane and
Christmas lights Ipswich and Brisbane.
Moreton Bay Regional Council
Christmas Carols:
Caboolture Town Square, 60-78 King Street, Caboolture, 3pm to 8pm, December 17.
Sesame Lane’s Santa Village, life-sized snow globe, nativity scene and jumping castle and as well a visit by Santa Claus.
The evenings will also have roving performers, markets and free Christmas workshops and activities.
Christmas and New Year’s operating hours in Moreton Bay Regional Council area.
Bus tours
Brisbane City Council bus tours of the 4KQ Christmas lights competition:
Three-hour-long tours, including refreshment stops:
Depart 6.45pm nightly between December 18-22 from and to:
Carindale Shopping Centre to the Eastern Suburbs.
Anzac Square, Ann St., City, and the Chermside Shopping Centre to the Northern Suburbs.
Garden City Shopping Centre to the Southern suburbs.
Indooroopilly Shopping Centre to the Western suburbs.
Tickets must be booked in advance. No on-board ticket sales:
Adults: $22
Children: $11
Concessions and full time students: $1
Family ticket: (Two adults, one concession or student and a child, or two adults and two children, or two adults and two concessions/students): $50.
Book via Ticketek on 13 28 49 or by visiting premier.ticketek.com.au
Other info: 3403 8888.
Northern suburb residents’ option: Kangaroo Bus Lines Christmas Lights bus tour.
Includes light refreshments.
Departs from:
5.30pm, Caboolture Railway Station
5.40pm, Morayfield Shopping Centre
5.55pm, KBL Depot at Burpengary
6pm, Bindawalla at Burpengary
6.10pm, Bay Avenue, Deception Bay shops
6.25pm, North Lakes Drive, North Lakes
7pm, Redcliffe Uniting Church.
Tickets:
Adults: $39
Pensioner: $36
Child under 13, $29
Family of four (two adults, two children), $99.
To book, ring 1300 287 525 or visit kangaroobuslines.com.au/tours/day-tours/christmas-lights-tour
Ipswich
Ipswich Christmas lights Tours:
Tours depart Ipswich City Council car park, 45 Roderick St‚ Ipswich.
Tours include commentary, lucky seat prize and light supper.
From 7pm to 9.30pm on December 12-14.
Tickets: Adults, $20, Concessions: $15, children, $15.
Pine Rivers
Annual Christmas spectacular with carols, singing, dancing and loads of fun for the whole family. 5pm. Citipointe Church Pine Rivers – 138 Old Gympie Road, Kallangur. Details. Date: December 17; 5-7pm.
Christmas lights Caboolture and beyond:
DECEPTION BAY: 28 Parsons Boulevard; 26 Cockatiel Court; 21 Logan Terrace; 36 Fredan Road; 24 Balmoral Place; 8 Louisa Court
NINGI: 1445 Bribie Island Rd
BEACHMERE: 441 Beachmere Rd
CABOOLTURE: 2/22 McAndrew St; 6 Crawfod St; 10 Ascot St; 10 Hope Court; 25 Tullawong Drive; 11 Hazelwood Court
BELLMERE: 6 Belvista Court; 3 Parkwood Place; 22 Clementine Street
NORTH LAKES: 46 Nicklaus Parade; 38 Lacebark Street; 40 Whitfield Crescent
ELIMBAH: 16-18 Mifawny Rd
MORAYFIELD: Grogan Rd; 15 Graham Rd; 273-275 Morayfield Rd (Shed 4); 25 Addison Court; 793 Oakey Flat Rd
BURPENGARY: 38 Garden Drive; 10 Fodora Place
NARANGBA: 8 Barnowl Court; King Parrot Close; 12 Ridge View Drive; 15 Blaxland Place
MANGO HILL: 26 Limosa Court;
MURRUMBA DOWNS: 30 Twin Lakes Drive
KALLANGUR: 22 Azalea Court; 24 Mowbray Court
PETRIE: 11 Eacham Street
MURRUMBA DOWNS: 12 Elm Drive
CLONTARF: 1 Long Street
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