Rally is researching the season
Christmas with kids in Mildura
Mildura's Carols by Candlelight marked 75 years in December 2024. In 2026 the carols are listed at the Garden of Hope beside Lake Hawthorn.
Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November
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Already confirmed in Mildura
So far we’ve confirmed 1 of this season’s events, and more are on the way.
Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope
When: Saturday 19 December, evening (start time not listed)
Where: Garden of Hope Mildura, Mildura
Cost: Free entry (Christmas Show bag $5)
The story of Christmas in Mildura
Seventy-five years of carols, from Nowingi Place to the Garden of Hope
Mildura's Carols by Candlelight marked 75 years in December 2024. Organiser Victoria Milne describes it as a long-standing tradition about coming together in the Christmas spirit. Every performer is local, Santa visits through the evening. At one Nowingi Place carols night, the evening started at 6.30pm, a Nichols Point Primary School choir sang and Santa arrived with local firefighters. The owners of the Garden of Hope stepped up to host them.
A tree on Deakin Avenue and up to 150 bows around town
In November 2025 Mildura Rural City Council was building a giant Community Christmas Tree in the Deakin Avenue median between Seventh and Eighth Streets, due for completion on Tuesday 18 November. Up to 150 large tree bows went up across the district, including the riverfront, Mildura Arts Centre and the Visitor Information Centre. Mayor Ali Cupper said the aim was to help the community celebrate and brighten prominent spots. Later, the Christmas Twilight Market on 4 December had school students singing carols and biscuit decorating, and Santa's Workshop ran at Langtree Mall from 22 to 24 December.
A reindeer academy, Gingie the gingerbread and a walk to Bethlehem
At a past Mildura City Heart twilight market, children could help reindeer get ready for Christmas Eve at the Reindeer Training Academy. Langtree Mall's Santa has been joined by Mrs Claus, roving elves and Gingie the Gingerbread, with photos until Christmas Eve. Santa's Wonderland also offers pet photos and sensory-friendly visits with dimmed lights and smaller crowds. In December 2022 Henderson College in Irymple hosted Road to Bethlehem, a free outdoor walk-through of the Christmas story with shepherds, angels and Roman soldiers.
Traditions today
- Carols by Candlelight: Mildura's long-running carols night, with local performers, Santa and, in 2026, a spot at the Garden of Hope on 19 December.
- Community Christmas Tree: A giant tree in the Deakin Avenue median between Seventh and Eighth Streets, put up by the council in 2025.
- Santa's Wonderland: Santa, Mrs Claus, reindeer and elves at Langtree Mall, with photos for families and pets.
- Christmas Twilight Market: Late shopping at Langtree Mall with stallholders, school carols and kids' activities.
- Sensory-friendly Santa visits: Quieter visits with dimmed lights and smaller crowds, booked through Mildura City Heart.
A fact for kids
At Mildura's Reindeer Training Academy, children helped the reindeer get ready for Christmas Eve.
Questions about Christmas in Mildura
When is Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope in 2026?
Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope is listed for Saturday 19 December 2026, in the evening. The pages we opened did not give a start time, so check with the organiser before you head out. Rally Takes the Train's Mildura Christmas events guide lists the details we have confirmed.
Is the Garden of Hope carols night free in Mildura?
Yes, entry is free. A Christmas Show bag costs $5, and fairy floss, food and drinks are sold at the venue. Families who want a treat for the kids should bring a little cash, though the pages we read did not say which payment types are accepted.
Where is the Garden of Hope that hosts Mildura's carols?
The Garden of Hope is at 158 Seventeenth Street, Cabarita, just outside the Mildura centre. The carols are held on lawns overlooking the gardens and the lights of Mildura reflecting on Lake Hawthorn. All parking is on the property, and there is coach parking as well.
What should I bring to the Garden of Hope carols with young kids?
Bring a chair, a ground blanket, a jacket for the cool lakeside evening and mosquito repellent. The venue has a cafe, kiosk and public toilets, so you do not need to pack a full dinner. A $5 Christmas Show bag is also on sale for children.
What happens if it rains at Mildura's Garden of Hope carols?
A large undercover shelter is available if the weather is poor. The stage and gardens are decorated with coloured lights, and the carols are held on lawns, so families should still bring a jacket. Check with the organiser on the day if the forecast looks wet.
Can I bring the dog to Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope?
Pets are welcome by enquiry, so ask the organiser before you bring one. The venue describes itself as pet and family friendly. Mosquito repellent is on the recommended packing list, and a ground blanket gives a dog a spot on the lawn.
Is the Garden of Hope in Mildura wheelchair and pram friendly?
The venue lists wheelchair access, along with a carpark, coach parking, public toilets, a cafe and a kiosk. The carols are held on lawns, so a pram or wheelchair may need a firm patch near the shelter. Contact the organiser if you have specific access questions.
Who performs at Mildura's Carols by Candlelight?
Local performers of all ages sing and perform at the Garden of Hope carols, with the lineup to be confirmed closer to the date. At the 75th anniversary carols in December 2024, all the performers were local too, and Santa visited throughout the evening.
How old is Mildura's Carols by Candlelight tradition?
Mildura's Carols by Candlelight marked 75 years in December 2024. Organiser Victoria Milne described it as a long-standing tradition about coming together and uniting in the Christmas spirit. The articles we read did not give the start year, so we have left it out.
Where were Mildura's carols held before the Garden of Hope?
Mildura's carols were held at Nowingi Place before the Garden of Hope took them on. At one Nowingi Place carols night, the evening started at 6.30pm on a Saturday, a Nichols Point Primary School choir sang and Santa arrived with local firefighters.
Why did the Garden of Hope start hosting Mildura's carols?
The Nowingi Place carols were called off, and the owners of the Garden of Hope stepped up to host Carols by Candlelight so the event could still go ahead for the Sunraysia region.
Does Santa come to the Mildura carols?
Yes. Santa visited throughout the evening at the 75th anniversary carols in December 2024, and at an earlier Nowingi Place carols night he arrived with local firefighters. The 2026 pages we opened did not say whether Santa will attend, so check with the organiser.
Where is Mildura's Community Christmas Tree?
The Community Christmas Tree stands in the Deakin Avenue centre median between Seventh and Eighth Streets in Mildura. Mildura Rural City Council installed it in 2025, due for completion on Tuesday 18 November, to mark the start of the festive season.
What are the big Christmas tree bows around Mildura?
Mildura Rural City Council said up to 150 large Christmas tree bows would be installed across the district in 2025. They went to spots including the Mildura riverfront, Mildura Arts Centre and the Mildura Visitor Information Centre, to brighten prominent areas and attract visitors.
Where can kids meet Santa in Mildura?
Mildura City Heart runs Santa's Wonderland at Langtree Mall, where children can share their Christmas wishes with Santa. Mrs Claus, reindeer and elves also appear. Expect to queue, and ask Mildura City Heart about pet photo sessions. Rally Takes the Train's Mildura Christmas events guide lists confirmed 2026 dates.
Is there a sensory-friendly Santa visit in Mildura?
Mildura City Heart describes separate sensory-friendly visits with dimmed lights, less noise or smaller crowds. They must be booked through Mildura City Heart on (03) 5023 8010. Families with children who find crowds hard can ask about the arrangements well before December.
What is the Christmas Twilight Market in Mildura?
The Mildura City Heart Christmas Twilight Market is an evening of late shopping at Langtree Mall. In 2025 it was held on 4 December with stallholders, kids' activities, school students singing carols and biscuit decorating. We have not confirmed a 2026 date, so check Mildura City Heart.
Who is Gingie the Gingerbread at Langtree Mall?
Gingie the Gingerbread is a costumed character who joined Santa, Mrs Claus and roving elves when Santa arrived at Langtree Mall to open his workshop, in a November 2024 report. Families could have their photo taken with Santa there until Christmas Eve.
What was the Reindeer Training Academy in Mildura?
At a past Mildura City Heart Twilight Market at Langtree Mall, children could help the reindeer prepare for Christmas Eve at the Reindeer Training Academy. They could also visit Santa and Mrs Claus in their workshop while the community choirs sang carols nearby.
What was Road to Bethlehem in Irymple?
Road to Bethlehem was a free, outdoor walk-through retelling of the Christmas story at Henderson College in Irymple, on 15, 16 and 17 December 2022. Groups followed guides to scenes with royalty, shepherds, angels and Roman soldiers, and there was a jumping castle and face painting.
Sources
- Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope Mildura, Visit the Murray
- Carols by Candlelight at the Garden of Hope Mildura, Australia's Guide
- Community Christmas Tree helping to bring in the festive spirit, Mildura Rural City Council
- 75 years of spreading Christmas joy, Mildura carols gallery, Sunraysia Daily
- Carols to get you jingling all the way, Sunraysia Daily
- Mildura Carols by Candlelight aims for a family feel, Sunraysia Daily
- Garden of Hope takes on Carols by Candlelight, Sunraysia Daily
- Have a merry little shop at the Twilight Market, Sunraysia Daily
- Christmas spirit fills the Heart of Mildura, Sunraysia Daily
- Christmas comes early in mall, Sunraysia Daily
- Santa's Wonderland, Mildura City Heart
- Road to Bethlehem, Mildura Rural City Council
- Santa's Workshop, Visit NSW