Australia and New Zealand Set to Explode with New and Insane Christmas Events in December 2025 – You Won’t Believe What’s Happening!

Published on November 21, 2025

In December 2025, several festive events will take place across Australia and New Zealand, offering unique holiday experiences. In Australia, the Christmas Festival at Optus Stadium in Perth will feature food trucks, live entertainment, and a festive marketplace on 20-21 December. Sydney’s Carols in the Domain, scheduled for 20 December, promises an evening of live performances and carol singing. Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderland at Caulfield Racecourse will run until 24 December, offering a magical experience for families with younger children. In Brisbane, Christmas in Brisbane will fill the city with light shows, carols, and festive activities throughout the month. Over in New Zealand, Auckland will offer various kid-friendly events during December, while the Hobbiton Christmas Feast in Waikato on 12-13 December blends Christmas and the iconic movie set. Lastly, Rhythm & Alps in the South Island, scheduled for 29-31 December, marks a music festival for the festive season’s end.

Australia

Christmas Festival at Optus Stadium, Perth

This weekend festival is scheduled for Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December 2025 at Stadium Park at Optus Stadium. The event will feature a marketplace of over 100 food trucks and local gift stalls, live entertainment, an outdoor cinema screening of a classic Christmas film, and a chance for families to visit Santa for a photo. It offers a lively, family-friendly festive outing under the late-summer skies of Western Australia.

Carols in the Domain, Sydney

In Sydney, the annual “Carols in the Domain” event is slated for Saturday 20 December 2025 in the Royal Botanic Gardens at The Domain. This large free outdoor concert style gathering brings together live musical performances, festive songs, and a communal holiday atmosphere.

Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderland, Melbourne

At Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, the immersive event opens 28 November and runs until 24 December 2025. While its start is just prior to December, it spans into and concludes within December, making it relevant for a December-only listing of festive experiences. This walk-through wonderland is designed especially for younger children (advised for under 10s) and captures the playful, magical side of Christmas.

Christmas in Brisbane, Brisbane

From 1-24 December 2025, Brisbane hosts a program of free festive events across the city, including light shows, carol singing and themed installations. This series of events is ideal for families wanting to enjoy a range of Christmas-themed activities throughout December in Queensland.

New Zealand

Auckland Kids & Families December 2025 Line-Up, Auckland

For families visiting Auckland, a curated list of “what’s on” shows a variety of kid-friendly December 2025 events taking place across the city and surrounds. Although not all specifically labelled Christmas events, many festive activities fall within the December period when the summer holidays begin in New Zealand.

Hobbiton Christmas Feast 2025, Waikato / Hobbiton™

At the movie-set village of Hobbiton, a special Christmas Feast is scheduled for Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December 2025. This themed experience blends the festive holiday atmosphere with the magic of the Hobbiton setting, creating a memorable December outing.

Rhythm & Alps 2025, Cardrona Valley (South Island)

While more of a New Year event, this music festival occurs 29-31 December 2025. It falls at the very end of December, blending the festive and celebratory season with music, outdoor settings and social gatherings—potentially appealing if travelers remain through the Christmas to New Year stretch in New Zealand.

Planning Tips & Considerations

Because December is summer in Southern Hemisphere countries like Australia and New Zealand, many outdoor events are scheduled to leverage warm evenings and longer daylight hours. Many Christmas events span multiple days or weekends, so booking early (for tickets, accommodation, and travel) is recommended. Some events listed begin just before December (e.g., Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderland starts 28 Nov) or extend into New Year’s Eve (e.g., Rhythm & Alps). If strictly “December only” is required, focus on those entirely within 1-31 December. In New Zealand, traditional Christmas celebrations often combine with beach- or outdoor-based activities given the summer season. Weather and daylight vary, and while warm, the risk of changeable weather remains. For those wishing strictly to “only December” (start and end in December), the events in Australia listed above (Christmas Festival at Optus Stadium, Carols in the Domain, Christmas in Brisbane) and Hobbiton in New Zealand fit neatly.