Christmas Light Up Competition

The annual Christmas Light Up competition is one of the most fun events of the season. The glowing festive spirit is found all around the place, with many fun-filled light displays and activities.

So, even though the Gold Coast experiences a warm Christmas, the city still celebrates with lots of joy, fun and amusement. The city looks radiant with many lights, snowmen, Santas, and gorgeously decorated Christmas trees.

Christmas Light Up Competition 2024 Entry Dates, Gold Coast

From the start of December, residents and visitors to the Gold Coast can enjoy this amazing festival. Each year, hundreds of residents and business owners make the streets sparkle for the chance to win cash and prizes. Murrays Coaches typically runs bus tours to view the City of Gold Coast Christmas Lights Competition entrant’s homes every evening.

You’ll enjoy this amazing festival whether you visit for the first time or are a regular visitor. So make sure you drive around the streets of the Gold Coast to catch some of the best Christmas displays.

While enjoying this glorious time of year, you will also get a chance to enjoy street parties, entertainment and Christmas activities.

There are so many notable inclusions that it’s hard to mention them here. Please find below a selection of the most popular displays, but check out the following map at https://www.goldcoastchristmaslights.com.au/map for a full list and to make driving around a bit easier.

You can also check out the official Gold Coast Christmas Lights Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoldCoastChristmasLights/ for tips, photos, videos, and a helpful and up-to-date map.

Some of the most popular and favourite light displays include:

North Gold Coast Christmas Lights

13 Katandra Crescent, Ormeau
Timed to musical perfection, this epic Christmas lights musical display in Ormeau is worth the drive and is a favourite display. The ever-changing display keeps the festive vibes going with a spinning carousel, giant snowflakes, a selfie elf, kerbside flowers and a huge singing bear. Two 30-minute light shows run nightly at 7pm and 7:35pm—expect classic Christmas jingles blended in with nostalgic throwbacks and modern tunes.

2/7 Moss Terrace, Pimpama
The winner of the KIIS FM Christmas Lights competition, if you visit just one Gold Coast Christmas lights display, make it this one. An awe-inspiring Christmas light show at Moss Terrace gives us all the Christmas feels. The strobing multi-coloured house display that meanders into their spacious garden will make you ho-ho-hope they’ll return in the years to come. Spot Santa perched precariously on their roof.

Forest Oak Drive, Upper Coomera
Undoubtedly one of the most iconic Gold Coast streets for Christmas light perusing, Forest Oak Drive never fails to deliver, year after year. Almost the entire street lights up in festive colours, extravagant displays and interactive exhibitions. Be sure to allow time for walking, as you may need to park a few streets away.

4 Santa Clara Rise, Upper Coomera
This house on Santa Clara Rise (aka Santa Claus Lane) will make all your Christmas light display dreams come true. An inflatable Santa arch, teeny Santas, big Santas…the more you look, the more you’ll find. Grab a Maccas soft serve and visit this showstopper that draws crowds annually.

12 Drumbeat Place, Coomera
Everyone knows Coomera is the place to fuel all your Christmas lights dreams, and this house in Drumbeat Place is a point in case. Almost every surface of this two-storey house is covered in lights, including a massive Christmas tree, a huge blow-up castle for Santa, trees adorned with lights, and so much cheery goodness.

8 Seaham Court, Upper Coomera
Arches, arches and arches are the theme at Seaham Court this Christmas, with multiple coloured arches lining the driveway leading up to the festively adorned house with reindeer, Santa’s sleigh, Nutcrackers and more.

97 Annabelle Crescent, Upper Coomera
This massive Christmas lights display will get you in the festive spirit with moving features, an indoor nativity scene, Christmas statues, a Santa parked on the roof and a walk-through Christmas trail. These Christmas lights take over a month to set up, and the owners have displayed them for over 15 years.

26 Jagera Drive, Upper Coomera
Snap a picture in the giant Santa-style chair underneath the beaming star, surrounded by penguins, elves, and colourful forest trees…and thank us later. Yes, they go all out here and in true Coomera style, the streets fill early with festive lovers.

Salvado Drive, Pacific Pines
Several houses on Salvado Drive in Pacific Pines have upped their Christmas light game this year, and we’re here for it. Expect giant Santas, reindeer and some magnificently flashing lights. Pass the popcorn and enjoy the show ‘cause this one decked-out street you need to visit.

21 Springwood Avenue, Pacific Pines
One of the Gold Coast’s top Christmas lights displays lies at 21 Springwood Avenue in Pacific Pines. This house has reigned supreme as the winner of the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Christmas Lights Competition for multiple years, and once you see the house, you’ll realise why. The dazzling lights will be turned on in all their glory from 1 December, with show times from 7pm to 9pm daily, with an ice cream and snow machine in the works, too.

6 Waigeo Street, Pacific Pines
The Christmas lights display on Waigeo Street is so cute we could die. Colourful lights, adorable Santas and charming little signs…plus you can’t beat Santa in a Kombi and Santa in a caravan—Max adorable levels in true Aussie style.

3 & 4 Beaumont Crescent, Pacific Pines
Check out a dazzling display of Santa’s kangaroo sleigh (it’s impressive, trust us) at Beaumont Crescent this year. Take an ‘elfie’ in Santa’s sleigh and look at their Disneyland-inspired Christmas room. Crack that eggnog if you’re feeling naughty, a jolly treat stocking if you’ve been nice, and wander down by moonlight.

Wunburra Circuit, Pacific Pines
If you’re looking to hit as many Christmas lights displays as you can in one street, Wunburra Circuit does a pretty good job of it. The street is usually filled with Christmas light displays, ranging from small decorations to full-blown, multi-storey affairs.

6 Boyer Street, Pacific Pines
Have you ever seen Santa in a pool with a reindeer and a polar bear? Well, here’s your chance ‘cause this has happened at 6 Boyer Street in previous years. Pack your gingerbread man, don your fluffy red hat and get amongst the merry times. The lights are usually up and twinkling by 5:30pm and turn off at 10pm, so be sure to visit between these times for all the festive vibes.

26 Stevens Street, Southport
This house is the definition of light up from top to bottom. This Christmas lights display in Southport is so cute we can’t even handle it. You’ve got Santa climbing a Christmas tree, Santa on a motorbike, Santa in a Kombi…is there anything Santa can’t do?

16 Taupo Court, Coombabah
If you’re hunting for a sparkling extravaganza, look no further than Taupo Court in Coombabah. A lineup of Christmas trees, twinkling stars and strobing snowflakes…you can’t miss this house; it’s lighting up the whole street.

Southern Gold Coast Christmas Lights

44 Winchester Drive, Nerang
With twinkling lights adorning every surface, a Grinch sneaking over the fence, and Santa in a treehouse, Winchester Drive has truly decked the halls (and the fence and front garden, too) for a blindingly beautiful Christmas light display tucked away in Nerang—a must-visit for the best Christmas lights on the Gold Coast.

1 Augathella Court, Mudgeeraba
You know it will be good when they’ve been running a Christmas lights display for 30+ years. You’ll find that at 1 Augathella Court in Mudgeeraba with twinkling reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh, an entirely lit-up fence line, an adorable Santa’s workshop and an awe-inspiring tree display. Many houses in Augathella Court have Christmas light displays, as does the adjoining Birdsville Street.

16 Petherbridge Avenue, Merrimac
They’ve pulled out all the stops at Petherbridge Avenue with Santa and his sleigh careening over the roof, a giant Santa in the front garden and, of course, a twinkling star atop the house. There’s even a North Pole postbox for little ones, which we love. A must-hit Christmas lights stop.

17 Long Island Court, Mermaid Waters
The Southern Gold Coast is giving the northern Gold Coast a run for its money regarding the best Christmas lights displays on the Gold Coast, and Long Island Court is a testament to that. The sprawling house is covered from roof to fence in rainbow-coloured lights and has a large Christmas tree in the front yard.

42 Volante Crescent, Mermaid Waters
Year on year, 42 Volante Crescent puts a festive lights show we can’t resist going back for, again and again. The mega Christmas lights display will be on from 1 December with snow, bubbles and Santa photos from 10 December.

31 Lancelin Drive, Mermaid Waters
While you’re in Mermaid Waters, check out Lancelin Drive, one of the best Christmas photo opportunities you’ll get. The house is fully decked out, and we love the constantly changing display.