Explore Illuminate Adelaide’s incredible Fire Gardens at the Adelaide Botanic Garden
Wander around the gardens at night and be warmed by spectacular fire art installations that you can walk under, walk through and even sit on!
Review by Claire Davill
French fire experts Compagnie Carabosse have made use of most of the extensive Adelaide Botanic Garden, which means you’ll have a chance to wander all around the gardens in any direction you choose. Spend as long as you like enjoying a variety of installations, all lit by thousands of fires.
There are some moving installations, the most spectacular involving a large “flower” that slowly opens and then closes – squirting liquid into the air creating spectacular fireballs. There are also rotating spheres, tipping buckets of water surrounding fire and hand-cranked flumes operated by the artists.
There are fire-lit pathways through the forest to follow, swings to sit on, and heated seats – make sure you don’t miss the chance to sit down on these on cold winter nights!
Every aspect of the gardens is used to great effect, including reflections on the lake and ponds and surreal singlets floating in the forest in the Bicentennial Conservatory.
After entry, you can head in any direction you choose. Make sure you check out every part of the garden, there is something new around each corner.
The gardens are suitable for even the youngest children, but you will need to keep a close eye on little ones. Many of the fire pots are very low to the ground. The pathways can be dark in places, particularly in the Bicentennial Conservatory and through the adjacent forest areas. Most of the installations can be viewed from accessible paths, but there are some areas that might be trickier to navigate for wheelchairs and strollers, with sawdust paths and lawn.
If you need a break, there are food and drinks available at the Schomburgk Pavillion, as well as toilets here and at the kiosk. There’s live music on the lawns near the kiosk as well.
You’ll need to enter at your ticketed time (entry sessions every 15 minutes), but once in the gardens you can stay as long as you like.
Things to consider:
- The entire Botanic Garden is open so there are a lot of dark, unlit paths. You may want to bring a torch for littlies to carry.
- Keep a very close eye on children near the flames and open water sources.
- Be aware that some paths are possibly not suitable for wheelchairs and prams.
- Entry and exit is via the main entrance on North Terrace.
READ MORE ABOUT THE 2024 FIRE GARDENS HERE
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Illuminate Adelaide website.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: all photos by Play & Go Adelaide 2024
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