Travel & Touring | WA Things to Do
By: Monique Ceccato
There’s no greater Christmas tradition than rounding up the family and heading out to see Perth’s elaborate light displays. Houses, city centres, and suburbs right across the metropolitan area, from Mandurah to Alkimos, put on their festive finest from as early as late November.
It’s all in the name of spreading some holiday cheer. Queue your favourite Christmas carols, strap on your seatbelts, and hit the road to see some of these dazzling Christmas light displays.
We’ve listed single houses worth a trip to see, festive suburban streets, and Perth’s official Christmas light trails.
RELATED: Free Christmas events and festivals around Perth
Festive houses
Alkimos
8 Malleefowl Way
Decorating a house with nearly 30,000 lights sounds like a recipe for glittering chaos. But 8 Malleefowl Way has to be one of the neatest, most organised Christmas light displays in Perth. It runs from 8:00pm to 10:00pm each night during the week and is programmed to change in time with a carols soundtrack. Tune in on 99.9FM if you’re swinging past by car or, if walking, park at the nearby Alkimos Beach Primary to ease congestion in the residential streets.
Alexander Heights
30 Lancer Way
Need a reprieve from all the candy canes and snowflakes? This home in Alexander Heights has your back with a fun, Super Mario-themed Christmas light display entirely powered by solar. It’s the perfect stop-in for game-loving tweens and teens. See the game’s namesake and his trusted steed, Yoshi, have a photo with Bowser’s Christmas light-covered castle and scan QR codes to activate authentic Mario-gaming sounds.
Brabham
128 Pannage Way
Don some festive finery and pose for a memorable Christmas photo in front of this Brabham home's giant inflatable snowman or Santa’s workshop. There’s a bubble machine to enhance the atmosphere and—of course—thousands of sparkling lights. Make a night of it and have an early barbeque dinner at the nearby Ariella Yoke Chase Park. The Christmas lights don’t kick off until around 7:00pm, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the park's calm before the merry chaos.
Cloverdale
159 Williamson AvenueThe northern hemisphere’s festive season reigns supreme at Williamson Avenue, with illuminated snowmen, igloos, and sleighs as the main attractions. Over 30,000 lights make up this bright display, which takes more than a month to set up in the countdown to Christmas. Park at the nearby Miles Park Community Centre and walk the 10 minutes to the display to ease traffic congestion on the street.
Duncraig
Samson Court*
Blinking, glittering, and moving lights are everywhere on this short, residential street. It’s another community effort, with almost every house joining in on the nightly shows. Park at the Poynter Primary School and cross the oval to get to the cul-de-sac, where you’ll see a house covered in more than 15,000 programmed LED lights, life-sized nativity scenes, and plenty of dancing lasers. The show starts at 7:30pm each night and ends at 10:30pm.
Gwelup
3 D’Ercole Court
It might be well into the 30s in Perth come Christmas time, but it still snows in Gwelup. Follow the ‘Lights on D’Ercole Court’ Facebook page to find out when their snow machine is flurrying, and you’ll get your white Christmas without leaving the country. They mightn’t be real flakes, but they make the musical LED light program all that more magical. A popular light display and a small cul-de-sac make for plenty of traffic, so leave the car elsewhere and wander down to the house on foot.
Hammond Park
27 Baumea TurnIn previous years, the owners of this home have gone all out and not only festooned the façade and garden with thousands of lights, but they’ve created a walk-in Christmas grotto in the garage, too. If this year is anything like the last, expect to see the grotto return, along with a large inflatable Santa and nativity scene. Arrive early to nab a parking spot at the nearby Botany Park and make the short walk down.
High Wycombe
31A Wem Mews
Christmas Minions and a singing Olaf are just some of the ways this house on Wem Mews sets itself apart from other light-decorated homes in Perth. Watch them dance about in time to a soundtrack of Christmas songs, which, if you’re viewing from your car, you can tune into on 98.1. If you do hop out to enjoy the spectacle, bring some coins along to drop into the collection box for their chosen charities.
Langford
143 Langford AvenueFor the last ten years, the family at 143 Langford Avenue has well and truly delivered on the Christmas spirit. Their house is decorated with a chaotic but beautiful mix of lights, inflatables, and life-sized wreaths, ensuring that even the biggest Christmas Grinch walks away with a smile on their face. Leave the car at the parking lot at 80 Cortis Way and head to the house on foot so you can spend time wandering the light tunnels and examining the display in detail.
The trail will be up and running from the 29th of November to the 5th of January.
Morley
7 Collins Court
7 Collins Court won the award for ‘best house north of the river’ in the 2022 Synergy Xmas Lights Trail competition, and for good reason: it’s simply magical. Owners Jo and Maria have been decorating their house for their grandchildren, special needs daughter, and the public to enjoy for the past 19 years. It takes them some 120 hours to set up the thousands of lights in the leadup to Christmas, but it’s all worth it, with the results much loved by the wider community.
Suburban light trails
Atwell
Kennack Vista and Harmony Avenue
Make an evening of your light-seeing and drop into two of Atwell’s most celebrated displays; it’ll take all of a few minutes to drive between the duo, depending on the flow of traffic. Or, park up and get some steps in on a 13-minute walk. Start at Kennack Vista, where the owners have been setting up synchronised audio-visual displays and a lawn full of inflatables for more than 20 years. Then, at your next stop on Harmony Avenue, you’ll find a walk-in display and plenty of moving features.
Connolly
Prairie Dunes Place
Christmas is a neighbourhood effort in Connolly, with all 23 houses on Prairie Dune Place donning their finest lights and two-storey Santa inflatables in the name of the holiday spirit. The quiet cul-de-sac lights up from 7:30pm to 11:00pm each night. And, occasionally, during the festive period, some guide dogs drop by for pats. The street raises funds to support them and the team at Guide Dogs WA.
Thornlie
Consulate Court
There’s so much more to this festive street than just the fantastic light displays and reindeer on the roof. In the lead-up to Christmas day, there’s a roster of fun family events to look out for, too. If carolling is your thing, visit the street on its carolling night, or perhaps the charity bake sale or visiting Santa (escorted in via a Hot Rod) are more your speed. Understandably, the street gets busy at this time of year, so park up at Sacred Heart Primary and wander over from there. You can keep up to date with the month’s events on the street’s dedicated Facebook page.
Official light trails
Christmas on the Coast
Coogee Beach Reserve
Christmas lights are just one part of the equation at Coogee Beach Reserve’s ‘Christmas on the Coast’ event. On December 15th, the whole reserve will transform into a magical entertainment wonderland with light displays, kite displays, and roving reindeer, snowmen, and emu-riding elves. Of course, Santa will also be making an appearance. If you fancy a night off cooking, head down early to skip the line at the food trucks. You’ll also have the best shot at snagging a decent spot in front of the stage for the community concert that kicks off at 7:00 pm.
Mandurah Canals Christmas Lights
Mandurah
With the weather pushing the 30s, there’s no better way to experience the Christmas light displays than from the water. Launch your own boat into the Mandurah Canals and cruise around to see the 200+ homes that take part in the decorating extravaganza each year. Alternatively, book a spot on one of the many tours that depart at this time of the year—pirate ships and floating barbeque boats included. It’s a much-loved WA experience and one you have to do at least once in your lifetime.
Mandurah Christmas Lights Trail
Mandurah City Centre and Mandurah Ocean Marina
It doesn’t get much more special than watching Santa soar through the skies with your very own eyes. On this year’s Christmas Light Trail in Mandurah, all you have to do to make it a reality is pull out your phone, scan a QR code, and let the magic happen. It’s not the only application of virtual reality along the 32-stop-strong trail, which begins on Scholl Street and ends at the Mandurah Ocean Marina. As you stroll through, you’ll see a 5m Santa at the Estuary Pool, estuary trees in Mandjar Bay, and a light-covered train in front of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.
Rio Tinto Christmas Lights Trail
Northbridge and Perth
41 nights of lights, 20 installations, and performances galore: The City of Perth, Rio Tinto, and Lotterywest have gone all out for Christmas this year.
The mega lights trail begins in Yagan Square, where you’ll find a 7m-tall modern-day Christmas tree adorned with cascading lights. In Forrest Place, there’s a more traditional tree and a colourful Yuletide projection lighting up the façade of the General Post Office building. Visit between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm on the 7th or 21st of December, and an Auslan signing Santa will be roaming around, spreading the Christmas cheer. Follow the installations through Raine Square and the Murray and Hay Street Malls to Perth Town Hall, where an immersive walk-through space with thousands of LED lights awaits. Finish up the trail at Elizabeth Quay and marvel at the twinkling white and gold castle of light.
The trail will be up and running until January 1st, 2025.
Rockingham Christmas Lights
Rockingham Foreshore
Wander through the annual instalment of the City of Rockingham’s glittering Christmas display on the Rockingham Foreshore from as early as the 6th of December. There will be an official ‘turning on of the lights’ ceremony, which kicks off at 5:00pm with market stalls, roaming entertainment, and food vendors. At 8:00pm, the lights will be switched on for the first time of the season. If you miss the launch evening, you can still head on down at 8:00pm any night following to see the foreshore all lit up.
To get to the foreshore, take route 555 from the train station or find some free street parking around the CBD and walk down.
Subiaco Twilight Trail
Subiaco
The City of Subiaco is getting a festive makeover in the month leading up to Christmas.
From November 27th, Seddon Street, Rokeby Road, and Forrest and Postalk Walks will be adorned with Christmas lights, ranging from the classic (the Subi Starlit Tree on the corner of Roberts and Rokeby roads) to the quirky (Postal Walk’s ‘luminous lizard’). For added fun, each installation has a QR code, which, when scanned, brings the installations to life. Scan all the QR codes on the ‘Twinkling Treasure Hunt’, and you’ll go into the draw to win a year’s supply of free ice cream from Whisk Creamery.
To put a more adult spin on the festive outing, combine the Christmas lights trail with the Subiaco Christmas Cocktail Trail and call into the participating local bars and eateries to try their holiday-inspired beverages.
Wanneroo Botanic Gardens 'The Magic of Christmas'
25 Drovers Place, Wanneroo, WA
Think of Christmas, and golf doesn’t generally spring to mind. At Wanneroo Botanic Gardens, the two are intrinsically linked. Mini-golf holes pepper the five-acre garden, which, at Christmas, is home to thousands of twinkling lights and themed instalments. Make your way through the park via a round of glow golf, or purchase a sightseeing-only pass.
Only 10% of tickets are reserved for walk-ins, so pre-booking your session is essential. Each session allows an hour and a half on the course or in the gardens. There’s plenty of parking at the gardens and some overflow parking at Petstock next door (only available when they’re closed).
*These Christmas light displays are still to be confirmed for 2024
Image credit: City of Perth
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