Excited anticipation lit up the faces of the small crowd waiting for a sneak preview of one of the City’s biggest festive attractions – the Christmas Wonderland at the Nerima Gardens. 

Santa Claus made his way out to the queue, his ringing bell reverberating through the Gardens. 

“It’s Santa,” Siarnna Fox whispered as he walked by. Siarnna was there with her family to see the centrepiece of the council’s Christmas in Ipswich 2020 program. 

The park opened with an amusing take on what could only be described as a ‘70s Christmas - a huge fig tree wrapped with lights and large disco balls hanging from the branches. 

From the moment you enter the gates, it’s impossible not to feel the Christmas cheer with 50,000 lights adding colour and accent to the lush plantings. 

There’s a giant cotton field of lights that change from a white glow to a multi-coloured pulse, vintage look Edison bulbs dangling from a tree and tiny boats sailing in the pond with a single flickering light making them visible to those wandering around the paths. 

Yet the display leaves just enough space for Nerima Gardens to still feel like itself, as you walk through the Wonderland you can spot several of the resident water dragons enjoying their temporarily illuminated home. 

Mayor Teresa Harding said it was exciting to see the joy on attendees faces as they walked through the light exhibit.

  “Tonight you can see smiles on people’s faces, we announced the winners of the Christmas lights competition and they went through [the Christmas Wonderland] first,” she said. 

“Obviously these are families that love Christmas lights, and you can just see the biggest smile on everyone’s face.”

This year the event took on a Covid-19 safe format which meant the event was ticketed and people walked through in half hour sessions. 

Funds made from ticket sales will be distributed to charities such as the Ipswich Hospital Foundation, The Message of the Cross Indigenous Corporation, Queensland Youth and Families Support Services, Roderick Street Community Kindergarten, Rosewood Community Centre and Young Veterans Ipswich.

“It's been a hard year for all, and charity groups are no exception,” Cr Harding said.

“The funds raised through ticket sales to Christmas Wonderland will go some way to helping these organisations continue the important work they do in our community.”