A brand-new Christmas tree will light up Adelaide's CBD this festive season, with the spectacular installation to take pride of place in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
Designed exclusively for the City of Adelaide, the new 25-metre high tree will be in place in time for the 2026 National Pharmacies Christmas Pageant on Saturday 14 November, creating a new centrepiece for the city's Christmas celebrations.
Visual Inspirations, the company behind Sydney's much-loved Martin Place Christmas tree, was selected to design and deliver the tree following a year-long, nation-wide search for a supplier.
Lord Mayor of Adelaide Dr Jane Lomax-Smith said a new Christmas tree had been on Council's wish list for some time.
"Our previous tree served us well for almost three decades but it was time for a change, and at 25-metres tall, our new tree will be hard to miss," said the Lord Mayor.
"This is more than a new Christmas tree. It is a purpose-designed, interactive light and sound experience that will become a major feature of the City's Christmas program.
"The new tree will bring a little more magic, a little more spectacle and a fresh experience for everyone who comes into the city to celebrate Christmas each year."
The Lord Mayor said the City of Adelaide is the traditional home of South Australia's Yuletide, with almost 500,000 people visiting the CBD in the lead-up to Christmas.
"Many of these visitors then choose to stay in the city and shop, eat or spend time visiting its various attractions, such as the nearby Adelaide Central Market," said the Lord Mayor.
"Having such a large, exciting Christmas tree is an investment in the city by ensuring it has a significant drawcard during the festive season.
"Christmas remains one of the most important times of year for our City businesses and we want the new tree to increase visitation and give people a reason to experience the City."
A state-of-the-art LED lighting and sound system is just one of the multisensory features of the new Christmas tree, which also includes:
- 66,500 individual LED bulbs
- Almost 3400 state of the art decorations
- 3-metre-tall, illuminated star atop the tree
Visual Inspirations Project Designer Katharine Zulberti said the company's ambition was to create more than a large tree.
"We wanted to create a new festive landmark for Adelaide, an unmissable part of Christmas in the city for South Australians and visitors alike, and something people will make a point of coming into the city to experience," she said.
Ms Zulberti said the new Christmas tree was designed to feel unmistakably South Australian.
"Every decorative element was carefully considered, from a colour palette inspired by the landscape, to forms that draw on the architecture of the city and the constellations above, creating a Christmas concept deeply connected to place
"Together, they bring land, city and sky into one cohesive visual story that celebrates everything that makes South Australia unique.
"After dark, the tree becomes a spectacular light and sound experience. Thousands of programmable lights, synchronised with music, will bring the tree to life, creating an immersive Christmas spectacle that must be experienced in person."
More than 10,000 people are expected to watch the Lord Mayor light the new Christmas tree for the first time on the evening of Saturday 21 November.
Christmas decorations will be rolled out to city streets and landmarks, including Rundle Mall, Adelaide Central Market and Adelaide Town Hall, from early November.
