Friday 15 January 2016

Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular

I don't get to come to Australia and visit my mum often but when I do come I try and come around Christmas and New Year. There's one place that I love to visit if I'm here at this time and that is the Hunter Valley Garden's Christmas Lights. I've been twice before and I have to say they never dissapoint. 


I find the Australians in general tend to outdo us Brits when it comes to christmas lights. The displays people put up in their front gardens put our string lights around one window to shame.

The lights cost 27 dollars for an adult and 22 for a child. Children under 3 are free. There are other ticketing options available. They are on until the 26th January with extended evening hours until 10pm. Also at the moment they have an extra display on within the christmas lights spectacular which is called mega creatures. There's lots of lifelike Dinasour and creepy crawlies all around the gardens.

Myself, hubby, Eva and Ophelia all went. We arrived about 8pm, just as it was getting dark. At first look we thought parking was going to be a nightmare but there is a huge field that you can park in, so we found a space very easily. We used the stroller for Ophelia and we could manoeuvre it around with no problems at all.

Every year there are new lights added to the already vast display. This year the new additions are a fairy garden, a music room, santa's plane, a whale, a unicorn (this was a big hit with us) and an improved candy land. 





There is also a children's play zone located about half way through the gardens which is full of fun inflatables. There is a $5 dollar charge per person for this. In that same area is an amazing creepy crawly world which Eva absolutley loved. We couldn't get her out of there. The colours are just mesmerizing for children. 





The light's themselves are truly amazing. I can only describe it as giving you that same feeling Disneyworld does. It's magical, enchanting and excitng. Eva's favourites were Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and My Little Pony. The hubby loved the 12 days of chritsmas and I loved the Sydney and Paris displays.







After we'd been around the lights we stopped in the food area and had a scrummy wood fired pizza but I can't remember the name of the company. There were a few food and drink stalls to choose from.

Overall, we loved the experience. It's a great, family night out and can be enjoyed for people of all ages. The gardens were very easy to get around with a stroller. The only thing Eva didn't like was the dinasours. They frightened her but I guess that's an age thing. If she was older i'm sure she would love them. If we lived here, we would most certainly make it a christmas family tradition to go and see the lights every year. I am just so grateful that I have been able to take my children to see it. Ironically, I've never actually visited the gardens in the daytime. Seeing as we are here until the middle of March, I am hoping to finally visit in the day.

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14 comments

  1. OMGosh! That looks amazing! Love the cinderalla carriage and the unicorn lights. We need some of those here in the UK. Hope you had a great time in Aus xx

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  2. This does look spectacular. I'd love to visit but it's a bit far lol. Eva looks like she's really having fun too.

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  3. This looks amazing, I love the My Little Ponies all lit up x

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  4. Oh wow I didn't realise you were away for so long, what an amazing adventure! Those gardens look lovely x

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  5. Oh wow, that looks amazing! Love the unicorn one. What a special experience x

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  6. Oh my, those lights are spectacular! I would love to visit Australia one day

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  7. Those lights really look spectacular. My parents live in Australia, they are in Melbourne. It's funny because my mum finds that in Melbourne they don't really do christmas as much as we do here in the uk. Those lights look absolutely amazing though and I must tell my parents to go visit NSW. :)

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  8. Wow! Looks really magical, wish we had something like that near us!

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  9. What a fabulous place and so reasonably priced. It looks like a wonderland for kids and adults. Brilliant place

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  10. Wow, they do look really quite special. I've not seen anything like this before. I was quite disappointed in the lights in London this year

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  11. Wow they are pretty awesome lights. It looks like a really great place!

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  12. Oh wow - it looks amazing - I know exactly what you mean about the Disneyland feeling - I have experienced nothing like that ever! Glad you are having a great time. Kaz x

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  13. Oh this place looks lovely and magical to take children to around this time of the year. Hope your having fun down under

    Laura x

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  14. Wow!! That looks amazing! I really like the Cinderella display. You are so lucky to have seen this x

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