Lightscape Brisbane is back for another year, illuminating the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens after-dark as part of the Brisbane Festival. Wowing visitors nightly until the 12th of October, visitors can wander around the 2km trail, weaving their way through the gardens being mesmerised at every turn โ it really is a feast for the eyes!
Lightscape 2024
New for Lightscape 2024 is the addition of installations created by Queensland First Nations artists Michelle Yeatman and Paul Bong (aka Bindur Bullin) alongside other local and international artists.
Along this multi-sensory trail you will find oversized flowers, dangling lights, long tunnels, a fire garden, glowing pathways, colourful canopies and more. I wonder what your favourite installation will be?
Our Top Tips for Visiting Lightscape Brisbane
- The illuminated, multi-sensory trail is 2km long, and takes about 90 minutes to explore, depending on how often you stop and how busy it is.
- The trail is one-way, so make sure you take your time at each segment.
- Charge your phones and cameras โ there are lots of photo opportunities. You may even like to experiment with taking pics at night, making sure you have the right settings on your device.
- The trail is accessible, suitable for prams and wheelchairs, though there are some dark spots and uneven segments, so move around slowly and with care.
- Visitors must stay on the designated path. You are not permitted access to the rest of the gardens after-dark.
- There is only one entry point for Lightscape in 2024 – Gate 1 on the Corner of Alice and Albert Street.
- Look up high and down low, there are lights everywhere.
- Periodically turn around to view the lights from a different perspective.
- Toilets are located at intervals around the trail, so if you pass one, check to see if anyone needs to go.
- The event goes ahead even in the rain, so dress accordingly. Umbrellas are permitted., though there are some installations where you will need to collapse your umbrella.
- There are many food trucks at the main entrance at Gate 1, and some other vendors dotted around the trail. Given the time of night we recommend filling little bellies before arriving and maybe just getting a treat on the trail.
- To save some $$ consider visiting at ‘off-peak’ times. Off-peak sessions can be found online when booking.
- Paid parking is available at several nearby multi-storey parking lots, alternatively catch public transport.
- If you book for a particular day and time slot you should arrive on time to be guaranteed entry. Weekends are popular, so bare this in mind when booking. Alternatively, by paying a little extra you can book an Anytime Pass, which grants you access on your chosen date, anytime between the first session and the last.
- Book your tickets in advance at Ticketek to secure your preferred date and time slot.
What We Thought of Lightscape Brisbane 2024
After visiting Lightscape in 2023 and being suitably impressed, we returned in 2024 with high hopes. While we enjoyed the event, we did leave feeling like this year’s event was a little more subdued and a little less interactive than last year’s. Even so, Miss 9 and Master 11 enjoyed the several walk through installations like Winter Cathedral (same as last year), Submergence and Trapezoid.
While I particularly liked the bright Neon Roots installation, which lights up the roots of the massive fig trees, creating a kaleidoscope of colours.
The great thing about visiting Lightscape is many of the installations are new each year, so even if you attended previously, there are new elements to discover and fall in love with each year.
Accessibility at Lightscape Brisbane
Lightscape Brisbane is an accessible event. The designated pathways are relatively flat and even, though there are a few sections which are a little steep and uneven. Parts of the trail are dimly lit, so extra care should be taken on these parts.
Accessible toilets are located throughout the trail.
This is a one-way trail, designed to be walked through, therefore there is not a lot of spaces for sitting down.
Lightscape Brisbane Details
Lightscape Brisbane is a family-friendly event now on at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens until 12 October 2024 (No viewings on several days throughout September and October – check online for details).
Session times start from 5.45pm.
Book your tickets online at Ticketek
How to Get to Lightscape Brisbane
Lightscape Brisbane can be found at the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens.
Entry is via Gate 1 on the Corner of Alice and Albert Street.
Paid, street parking is limited in the area (and usually only after 7pm), though there are many paid multi-story parking locations nearby. It always pays to book ahead online to get the best price.
Catherine Moine
I must admit that I was utterly disappointed with this yearโs show. After the very professional and spectacular show in 2023 we had expectations of a similar or better display; we felt let down. Hardly anything, great stretches without anything, very bland and amateurish. Too expensive for very little.
Michael Turnbull
I agree totally. Last year was really good but this year there was literally no thought put into it. Very few lights, the displays were spread so far apart you had to walk for 100’s of metres of dark to get there and each display, apart from the last was literally one type of light and nothing else. We were bored. It was not planned for an immersive experience. Looking at Sydney and Melbourne, we were given a budget version lacking all of the exciting bits. I would go so far as to say they only used 10 to 20% of the lights they did in 2023. So very disappointing. Save your money!