Outdoor Lighting Ideas for Summer Entertaining in Canberra

The best outdoor lighting for summer entertaining is layered: a dimmable main light over the alfresco or deck, wall lights at the doors, low lights along paths and steps so nobody trips, and a few garden spotlights to give the yard some depth. Add a sensor light for security and a weatherproof power point or two where you plug in the speaker, the heater or the slow cooker, and you have a space that works from the first drink to the last guest leaving.

The two things that matter most are choosing fittings with the right IP rating for where they go, and having every outdoor circuit protected by a safety switch. Low voltage garden kits that plug into an existing outdoor power point are a fair DIY job in the ACT. Anything at 240V, a new power point or a hardwired transformer is work for a licensed electrician. Our lighting page shows the indoor and outdoor lighting we install.

What are good outdoor lighting ideas for entertaining?

Think about what each area is used for, then light it for that job rather than flooding the whole yard.

• The alfresco or deck. One main light on a dimmer, such as LED downlights in the ceiling or a fan with a light. Bright for cooking, low for sitting.
• Entries and feature walls. Up and down wall lights wash light across brick or render and make the front door easy to find.
• Paths and steps. Low step lights, bollards or small path lights at ground level. These are about safety first.
• The garden. A few spotlights aimed up into a tree or across a hedge do more than a dozen lights scattered around.
• Security. A sensor floodlight at the side gate, driveway or back fence.

Keep switching simple. Separate switches (or smart controls) for the alfresco, garden and security lights let you set the mood without lighting the whole block.

What lighting works best in an alfresco area?

An alfresco is part room, part outdoors, so it needs fittings rated for outdoor use even under a roof. Warm white LEDs suit eating and relaxing, and a dimmer makes the biggest difference of any upgrade. If the alfresco gets hot, a ceiling fan with an outdoor rating and a built-in light covers two jobs in one fitting.

Avoid relying on one bright light on the house wall. It throws glare in people’s eyes and casts hard shadows across the table. Lights spread around the edges, plus the main light over the table, feel far more comfortable.

What IP rating do outdoor lights need?

An IP (ingress protection) rating tells you how well a fitting keeps out solids and water. Under the international standard IEC 60529, the first digit covers dust and solid objects (0 to 6) and the second covers water (0 to 9). Higher numbers mean more protection.

Some common ratings you will see on outdoor lights:

• IP44: protected from solid objects over 1 mm and from water splashing from any direction. Usually suits fittings under eaves or a covered alfresco.
• IP65: dust tight and protected from low-pressure water jets. A good choice for wall lights and spotlights out in the weather.
• IP67: dust tight and protected from temporary immersion. Suits in-ground uplights and garden lights that sit in wet soil.

Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office says outdoor Christmas lights must be at least IP23, and indoor lights should never be used outside, even on verandas. The same thinking applies to permanent fittings: the more exposed the spot, the higher the rating it needs. Canberra’s summer storms, sprinklers and the occasional hose all count.

Can I install low voltage garden lights myself in the ACT?

Yes, within limits. Extra-low voltage (ELV) means not more than 50 V a.c. or 120 V ripple-free d.c., according to Access Canberra. Most garden kits run at 12V or 24V from a transformer that plugs into a power point. Under the ACT Electricity Safety Act 1971, an installation that operates at extra-low voltage sits outside the definition of electrical wiring work, and plugging into a socket is not wiring work either.

That makes a plug-in ELV kit a reasonable DIY project, provided:

• The transformer plugs into an existing weatherproof outdoor power point, or sits indoors if the instructions say so
• The kit and the transformer are rated for outdoor use
• Cables are run where they will not be cut by a spade or mower

What needs a licensed electrician:

• Any 240V garden light, wall light, floodlight or sensor light. These are wired into the house circuits.
• A new outdoor power point for the transformer, or moving an existing one
• A hardwired transformer, or one switched from inside the house
• Underground 240V cable, which needs the right protection and depth under the wiring rules

When a licensed electrician does the work, they test it and lodge a Certificate of Electrical Safety with Access Canberra within 14 days of testing. Ask for a copy.

Are sensor lights worth it?

For security, yes. A motion sensor floodlight at the driveway, side gate or back door lights the way when you come home and makes anyone walking down the side of the house easy to see. Look for adjustable sensitivity and timer settings so possums and passing cars do not set it off all night, and aim the sensor away from the street. For a softer look, some wall lights have a dim mode that brightens when someone walks past.

Do outdoor power points need to be weatherproof?

Any power point exposed to the weather should be a weatherproof type with a cover. A licensed electrician installs it on a circuit protected by a safety switch, at a height and position where rain and sprinklers do not hit it directly. Under the eaves near the alfresco, by the barbecue and at the back of a garden bed for lighting transformers are the spots most people end up wanting.

Adding outdoor power points saves running extension leads across the lawn, which Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office warns against over walkways. If your switchboard is old or full, our switchboards and power team can check whether there is room for a new outdoor circuit.

Why do outdoor circuits need safety switch protection?

Outside is where water and electricity meet most often. A safety switch (RCD) watches for current leaking to earth, and Energy Safe Victoria explains it turns the power off within 0.03 of a second. It is there to protect people, not just the wiring. New power and lighting circuits need safety switch protection under the wiring rules, and older homes with only one safety switch, or none, should have that checked before adding outdoor work.

If a safety switch trips when it rains, something outdoors has let water in. Leave the circuit off and have the fault found rather than resetting it repeatedly.

How should I light a deck and paths?

Keep it low and even. Step lights recessed into the riser or the side of each step show the edge clearly without glare. Along a path, a light every few metres at ankle or knee height is enough to see the ground. Bollard lights suit longer driveways and garden paths, and in-ground uplights suit trees and feature plants.

Plan the cabling before the deck boards or paving go down. It is far easier to run conduit for lights during a build than to lift boards later. If you are building or renovating an outdoor area, talk to us early and we can plan the lighting and power together so everything is in the right place before the finishes go on.