An After-Dark Art Trail Is Illuminating The Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens This Month
An Illuminated Encounter with Nature
By Olivia Middleton | 11th September 2026Experience Mt Coot-tha reawakened as it transforms into an enchanting after-dark dreamscape for just two weeks.
Set amid Brisbane Botanic Gardens’colourful, Mt Coot-tha’s iconic natural trails, the Botanic By Night: NightGlow outdoor art trail presents Queensland’s wildlife in a new light, with a magical, lantern-lit art experience in collaboration with First Nations artists.
From Friday 25 September to Saturday 10 October, take an atmospheric evening stroll with 11 colourful, illuminated lantern sculptures of Australian animals lining the 800-metre route, offering a rare perspective on the gardens after nightfall.
Combining storytelling, culture, and nature as you’ve never seen before, this is everything you need to know about Botanic By Night: NightGlow.
Explore nature like never before
Designed by Sydney’s award-winning creative studio Ample Projects in collaboration with First Nations artists, Botanic By Night: NightGlow is thoughtfully designed to reflect Indigenous language, storytelling, and cultural knowledge. Visitors will feel completely immersed as they wander through the gardens at their own pace, listening to an original gentle soundscape, meeting giant koala, frog, echidna, and more around every corner.
Featuring work from Casey Coolwel-Fisher, a Quandamooka Nunukul woman of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) whose work explores the vibrant connection between people, fauna, and Country, alongside Nathan Peckham, an artist from Tubba-gah Wiradjuri Country (Dubbo), Botanic By Night: NightGlow’s vivid and surreal sculptures will no doubt transport you into a dream-like universe.
Local tickets are priced at $25 per adult and $12.50 per child for Brisbane residents, Botanic By Night: NightGlow is the perfect after-dark family outing or romantic date night.
An affordable night out
As for refreshments, the food truck precinct along the route offers a delicious selection of food from Brazzo Boys, The Feel Good Foodie, and Best of the Wurst. And for those seeking a sweet treat to cap off the evening, Di Piu Tiramisu and Oh Waffles will have just what you need.
If you’re down for a whimsical outing with friends or an unforgettable night with your family beneath the stars, Botanic By Night: NightGlow is a unique fusion of art, culture, and nature guaranteed to be the ultimate affordable night out. Secure your tickets and start planning your trip here.
The details
What: Botanic By Night: NightGlow When: Friday 25 September to Saturday 10 October Entry sessions commence every 30 minutes from 6.30pm nightly, with the final session beginning at 9pm. Where: Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha Tickets: General admission $30, children aged 3–12 years $15, or, for Brisbane residents, $25 for general admission and $12.50 for children aged 3–12 years. Children aged two and under are free, but a ticket is still required.
This article is sponsored by City Parklands and proudly endorsed by style. We only promote brands and companies that we love and think our readers will love too!
