Harry Potter forest trail brings Hogwarts world to life at Sirromet winery

The world of Harry Potter has come to life in SEQ. WATCH THE VIDEO

In the heart of Mount Cotton’s hinterland, something truly enchanting is brewing — and it’s not just wine.

Sirromet Winery, celebrated for its award-winning vintages and sprawling bushland, has transformed into a living, breathing piece of the Wizarding World.

As night falls, its ancient forest becomes the stage for Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, a jaw-dropping, 1.7km adventure trail that’s part light show, part theatre, and entirely next-level storytelling.

The trail winds its way through 1.7km of bushland at Sirromet Winery. Picture: Judith Kerr

“You can feel the forest watching you,” laughed 10-year-old visitor Lily Davis, wand in hand and eyes wide as she encountered a glowing unicorn frolicking between the gum trees.

“It’s like Hogwarts has come to Queensland.”

And that’s exactly the feeling because this isn’t just a fan event, it’s a full-sensory journey into the Harry Potter universe, crafted with breathtaking detail and technology that blurs the line between fiction and forest.

The flying Ford Anglia, borrowed by Harry and Ron, crashes into the Whomping Willow and is a significant event in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Inspired by the iconic Forbidden Forest, the immersive trail winds through native bushland filled with fields of flickering lanterns, hillsides of glowing fungi, life-sized magical creatures and interactive spell stations. You don’t just see the magic — you create it.

On the trail, guests cast spells to reveal their Patronus, shouting Lumos! to illuminate a hidden valley.

Cast a spell to reveal your Patronus. Picture: Paris Johnson

They pass Hagrid’s smoking hut, tiptoe through the spider-filled Arachnid Hollow, complete with blinking Acromantulas, and stumble across the Weasley family’s flying Ford Anglia, wedged between the trees as if it crash-landed just moments ago.

There’s also a clearing filled with glowing, enchanted mushrooms where you can toast magical marshmallows and sip frothy butterbeer under the stars with the smell of sugar and smoke mingling with the bush night air.

Speak nicely to the Griffin and find your future.

It’s part bushwalk, part blockbuster, and quite possibly the next evolution of cinema itself.

And global entertainment giant Fever made sure that it’s not just for diehard Potterheads.

The interactive entertainment blends nature, narrative and next-gen tech in a way that makes you feel like you’ve stepped through the screen into the story.

Warner Bros helped to bring the Sirromet bushland to life … These guests waved their wands to conjure up these animals. Picture: Contributed

Fever project manager Jonathan Heng said a great deal of work went into venue selection.

“Finding the right venue is striking a balance between proximity to major cities with access to natural bushland, parking facilities and accessibility,” he said

“Sirromet’s combination of 227 hectares and its strong reputation for hosting large-scale events made the Brisbane location an easy choice.”

The walk takes about 90 minutes through the bushland at Sirromet at Mount Cotton.

Sirromet is hosting the experience, but the magical heavy lifting has come from Warner Bros; Discovery Global Experiences; IMG; and theatrical wizards Thinkwell and Unify.

The trail took six weeks to install, and Brisbane’s edition debuts exciting new features not seen in other cities, including appearances from Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, and beloved boarhound Fang.

Use your wand and say the magic words to light up lanterns and the entire hillside.

“Sirromet, being the venue, hasn’t been privy to all the production specifics,” a winery spokesperson noted, “but we know Fever has a clear vision behind how these extraordinary locations are selected.”

Having already bewitched audiences in New York, London, Paris and Melbourne, this is the first time the magical forest has crept into Queensland and tickets are already disappearing like sweets on the Hogwarts Express.

At the end of the walk have a butterbeer or toast marshmallows over open fire pits.

Running nightly until late August, prices start from $49 for adults and $35 for children, with early access available to fans who join the waitlist at hpforbiddenforestexperience.com/brisbane.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or just chasing a little winter wonder, this is more than a walk — it’s a moonlit adventure where fantasy meets flora, and even Muggles can make a little magic.

And no, you don’t need to be a Gryffindor to go.