Council & Public Events · Sunshine Coast

Working With Sunshine Coast Council

When Sunshine Coast Council invited us to design and deliver the lighting for Caloundra's iconic Christmas Tree lighting in 2025, we knew we had one shot: make it memorable, make it safe, and make it photograph beautifully for families and local media. The Caloundra Headland site is exposed. Ocean breeze, salt spray, high foot traffic, and zero permanent infrastructure. We couldn't rely on in-ground rigging or permanent power—every element had to be portable, robust, and elegant enough for a council ceremonial event. Our approach: warm festoon strings draped from purpose-built timber A-frames positioned around the main tree, creating an intimate village-fair feel without competing with the natural landscape. We layered in subtle LED ground-wash along the pathways, keeping sightlines clear and foot traffic safe after dark. The main tree itself got intelligent RGB uplighting on four sides, colour-locked to warm whites and soft golds so it felt celebratory without overshadowing the natural beauty of the headland at sunset. The challenge was timing. We had a four-hour setup window before the official lighting ceremony. The council needed the rig tested, operators trained, and contingency plans locked in. We ran a full dress rehearsal at 4 PM, walked the council team through emergency protocols, and had backup power and a spare lighting console on standby. On the night, we rigged a secondary LED profile rig in the ceremony pavilion so the mayor and community speakers were properly lit for photos and media, but the light didn't spill onto the audience or wash out the main tree's colour. The entire rig was operated from a single wireless DMX console, so our operator could adapt to live speeches and movement without needing to reset anything between segments. Attendance exceeded 2,800 people—double the council's forecast. The tree became the focal point without feeling artificially lit, and families stayed for three hours after the official lighting, which told us the ambient design was working. Parents felt safe bringing kids around the headland at night, and the vendors in the surrounding area reported record sales. What made this project work wasn't just the gear—it was understanding that council events live in the community memory. They're not about technical flash; they're about creating a safe, beautiful space where people want to linger. We delivered that. Sunshine Coast Council re-booked us for the 2026 summer program on the back of that single night.