Lightscape, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
The Melbourne light show of the year is back for 2026. Come see the Royal Botanic Gardens in a way you’ve never seen before at Lightscape. This immersive, after dark experience is one of a kinds, with lasers, projections and illuminations beaming through the gardens on this gorgeous winter walk.
Lightscape, Melbourne Light Show
Lightscape is back for 2026 and we are super excited. We have been the past few years with kids of all ages from toddlers to teens and it is always a great night out with the family. The photos below are from previous years but we will update them after we get a sneek peak!
From the moment you walk in, it feels like you are in a magical winter wonderland with all of the stunning lights. Everywhere you look is lit up in different colours. Even the edges of the walk have running lights to help you along the way. The ambient music guides you through the trail of lights.
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The trail is an enjoyable 2.2 km walk, easily accessible for all abilities and prams. Every turn and each display is more fantastic than the next. Through the use of fog and over one million glowing lights, the gardens become absolutely magical.
Highlights for 2026 include the Australian premiere of Bifröst by French studio Pitaya which boasts a 20-arch tunnel of cascading light along with Firefly Field by Dutch studio TOER, where 200 glowing light points dart and hover above the grass.
New commissions from Melbourne artists will also sit alongside returning favourites including the 30-metre Winter Cathedral and the Fire Garden, reimagined for 2026 with a new circular spiral of 150 candles
There is a variety of food and drink options at both the entry and along the trail. Pick up a mulled wine or delicious crepe as you walk through the lights. There are also toilets on site too..
About half way through the trail there are also a couple of open fires where you can roast marshmallows! You can buy the jumbo ones on site, in the past they have been around $5-6. If you remember, bring some skewers and a pack of jumbo marshmallows from home because the kids will want more than one for sure!
There is street metered parking all around the gardens but can be hit and miss depending on what other events are happening in the city. Best to get there a little earlier to find parking.
Make sure to bundle up because it can sometimes get cold but the chill in the air adds to the winter wonderland experience, it feels like you are in another world.
Details
Where:
Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne
Observatory Gate opposite the Shrine of Remembrance
Public Transport: Bus Route 605 (Observatory/Birdwood Ave), Tram stop 19 (Shrine of Remembrance/St Kilda Rd).
When:
June 12th – August 2nd
Tickets are timed in 15-minute increments. Allow 90 minutes to explore the path.
Website
Winter in Melbourne for Families
Lightscape Light Show in Melbourne is a magical place to visit during these cold months in Melbourne. Looking for more winter events? Check out these posts:
See our EVENTS section to keep up to date. Follow us for more inspiration on Facebook and in our Facebook Community Group Melbourne for Kids.
