Lightscape 2023 at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne has been awarded gold in the Major Festivals and Events category of the Victorian Tourism Awards last night. This accolade cements Lightscape as one of Victoria’s standout major events, drawing visitors from across Australia, and highlighting the beauty of one of Victoria’s most cherished attractions.  

Created in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment Australia and our Presenting Partner, Red Energy, Lightscape 2023, which ran from Friday, 16 June to Sunday 6 August 2023, was an overwhelming success, cementing its place as a highlight of Melbourne’s winter events calendar.  

In 2023, the trail of light and sound included new artworks, stunning lakeside reflections, colour-changing installations, large-scale illuminated sculptures and new surprises showcasing the creative talents of First Peoples and international artists. The annual wintertime event also featured a welcome food and beverage zone and the Terrace Food Hall, with delicious refreshments for visitors.  

“This award is a tribute to the incredible team at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and our partners who work tirelessly to bring Lightscape to life each year,” said Chris Russell, Director & Chief Executive of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. “We’re thrilled to see Lightscape recognised as a premier event that brings communities together to celebrate art, nature, and culture in the heart of Melbourne.” 

Penny Fowler, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Chair, said, “We are incredibly honoured that Lightscape has been recognised with this prestigious tourism award. We look forward to continuing to celebrate the beauty of these remarkable Gardens in unique and inspiring ways.” 

The annual event not only highlights the magnificence of the Gardens but also reinforces Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s commitment to delivering accessible, world-class events that foster a deeper connection with nature. 

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria is a centre of excellence for horticulture, science and nature based learning and public programs. The organisation extends over two locations, the heritage Melbourne Gardens and award-winning Cranbourne Gardens, and is also home to the Melbourne Observatory and the National Herbarium of Victoria. It sits on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country and Bunurong Country and has been a treasured part of Melbourne’s cultural life for almost 180 years – much loved by generations of Victorians, as well as Australian and international visitors. The organisation won the best major Tourism Attraction at the Victorian Tourism Awards in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and also won Best major Attraction at the Australian Tourism Industry awards in 2021. 

Leading events promoter, RGL (previously Raymond Gubbay Limited), a division of Sony Music, has been delivering illuminated trails for over 14 years. It is the chosen partner for national and international heritage and prestigious venues including Blenheim Palace; The National Trust; Forestry England; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and a number of botanic gardens across the USA including Chicago Botanic Garden. Each trail is designed specifically to showcase the natural and unique environment of the individual location, so no two trails are ever the same. RGL also presents hundreds of concerts annually throughout the UK and around the world.  

Culture Creative is a creative project and production management company based in the UK. The Company works across a wide range of cultural fields including art, sport, heritage, tourism, festivals and events, developing projects from concept to delivery. Since 2013 Culture Creative has worked closely with leading entertainment promoter RG Live (previously Raymond Gubbay Ltd), a division of Sony Music, to create winter light trails at various venues worldwide including Kew Gardens, London and Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York. www.culturecreative.co.uk | FB and Insta