Santa in an Australian Summer: Boomers, Surf Santas and Bondi

Santa in an Australian summer: he still arrives on Christmas Eve and the presents are opened on Christmas morning, but everything around him is different. It is hot, the school holidays have started, and Santa turns up at the shopping centre in air-conditioned comfort or on a surfboard at Bondi.¹

Kids leave out milk and cookies (and sometimes a beer for Santa), plus carrots for the reindeer.¹ And there is a local legend in which kangaroos, not reindeer, pull the sleigh.²

This guide covers the six white boomers story, the surf Santas, the shopping centre Santa scene, the heat on Christmas Day, what Aussies eat, and what parents can do to make Santa feel just as magical when it is 35 degrees outside.

The legend of the six white boomers

In Australia, male kangaroos are sometimes called "boomers" (along with bucks, jacks and old men).³ A Christmas song and story called "Six White Boomers" turned that word into a Santa legend. It appeared on the 1961 album All Together Now.²

The story, in short: a lost baby kangaroo rides Santa's sleigh, which is pulled by kangaroos instead of reindeer, across Australia. He finds his mother near Marble Bar in Western Australia and calls it the best Christmas present he ever got.² We do not reproduce the lyrics here, but the plot is a lovely bedtime story for Aussie kids.

It is worth being honest with your child about the status of this one. It is a cheerful modern legend, not an ancient tradition, and most Australian families still talk about reindeer. If your kids ask who the real reindeer are, our list of Santa's reindeer names has them all.

Santa on the beach: surf Santas and Christmas at Bondi

Christmas Day at Bondi Beach is a fixture on the calendar. The beach fills with families, backpackers and visitors from the northern hemisphere, many of them from mid-morning until dusk, and Santa hats are everywhere.⁴ Lifeguards say it is one of their busiest days of the year, partly because many visitors are not familiar with the local surf.⁵

The 2015 record was organised by an experience gift retailer to raise awareness of mental health, with instructors from a local surf school. The surf Santa is now a familiar Australian Christmas image.⁶

A practical note if you are visiting Bondi on Christmas Day: it is an alcohol-free zone, glass is banned on the sand, and you should swim between the red and yellow flags.⁴

Santa at the shopping centre

For many Australian kids, the first Santa they meet is at the shopping centre, and the sets are elaborate. A Guardian Australia feature from 2019 reported that weekend appointments with Santa at Sydney's Queen Victoria Building had already sold out by mid-November, and that Melbourne's Chadstone centre built an 11.5 metre tree with an immersive Santa experience around it.⁸

The same article found that a decoration company designs Santa sets from about $50,000 up to $500,000, and that a Santa photography provider had 435 Santas on its books in mid-November.⁸ Prices and sets have changed since 2019, so check your local centre for the current booking details.

Tip for parents: book early, go on a weekday morning, and let your child know in advance what will happen. Many Aussie kids also like to bring a letter, which pairs well with writing to Santa beforehand.

Christmas heat: how hot does it get?

Christmas Day weather varies hugely across a country this size. On Christmas Day 2016, for example, Adelaide reached 40.7 degrees, its hottest Christmas Day in more than 71 years, while Hobart sat near 26.5 degrees.⁹

That is one year, not an average, so treat it as an example of the range. The point for parents: the "Santa in a fur-trimmed coat" picture looks funny against a summer backdrop, and kids love that.

What Aussies eat on Christmas Day

The traditional hot roast competes with cold ham, salads, and above all prawns. In a 2022 YouGov survey for the MSC, 55 per cent of Australians ranked prawns the most essential ingredient for an Aussie Christmas, and an estimated 16.7 million planned to eat prawns that festive season.¹⁰

A late-2025 Canstar Blue survey of more than 1,500 Australians found a mostly even split between a traditional menu and a seasonal plate of seafood, salads and pavlova.¹¹

When does Santa arrive in your time zone?

Australia is spread across several time zones, and on 24 December several of them are on daylight saving. Use this table to explain to your kids why Santa reaches Sydney before Perth.

If your child wants to follow Santa live, our Santa tracker shows where he is along the route.

Christmas in July and other Aussie twists

Some Australians also hold a "Christmas in July" in the cooler months, with a hot roast and wintry decorations. Canberra, for example, hosted a Christmas in July winter festival in 2023.¹ It is a nice way to give kids a second dose of Christmas magic.

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are public holidays nationally, and South Australia observes Proclamation Day on 26 December.¹ And Carols by Candlelight, which began in Melbourne in 1938, is still televised nationally on Christmas Eve.⁷

For the numbers on how many children write to Santa each year in Australia, see our letters to Santa statistics.

Frequently asked questions: Santa in an Australian summer

Does Santa visit Australia on Christmas Eve?

Yes. Australian kids get their presents on Christmas morning, just like everywhere else, so Santa comes overnight on 24 December. Because Australia is far ahead of Europe and the Americas, Santa reaches Australian time zones early in his journey.

Why is Christmas in summer in Australia?

Australia is in the southern hemisphere, so December is the start of summer there. School is out and many families are on holiday, so Christmas is often spent outdoors, at the beach or at a backyard barbecue.

Does Santa really have kangaroos instead of reindeer in Australia?

Not in any old tradition. The idea of "six white boomers" comes from a 1960s Christmas song and children's story. It is a fun local legend rather than folklore, and most Aussie kids still leave carrots out for the reindeer.

What does Santa wear in an Australian summer?

In shopping centres he usually keeps the classic red suit (the centres are air-conditioned). On the beach, Santa suits come out too: in 2015, 320 surfers in Santa costumes set a Guinness World Record at Bondi.

Is Christmas Day a public holiday in Australia?

Yes. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are public holidays across Australia. South Australia calls 26 December Proclamation Day instead of Boxing Day.

What do Australians eat for Christmas lunch?

Often cold ham, seafood and salads rather than a hot roast, though plenty of families still cook a traditional roast. In a 2022 survey, 55 per cent of Australians named prawns the most essential Christmas ingredient.

What time does Santa come to Perth compared with Sydney?

Perth is three hours behind Sydney on 24 December (AWST +8 versus AEDT +11), so Santa reaches Sydney first and Perth three hours later in clock time.

Sources

1. 1Wikipedia: Christmas in Australia (en.wikipedia.org)
2. 2Songfacts: Six White Boomers (credits, year, story summary) (songfacts.com)
3. 3Wikipedia: Kangaroo (names for males, females and young) (en.wikipedia.org)
4. 4Visit Bondi Beach: Christmas Day at Bondi Beach (2023) (visitbondibeach.com)
5. 5Local 12 / AP: Christmas is one of the busiest days for Australia lifeguards (2018) (int.local12.com)
6. 6Guinness World Records: Hundreds of Aussies dress as Santa for largest surfing lesson (2015) (guinnessworldrecords.com)
7. 7Wikipedia: Carols by Candlelight (en.wikipedia.org)
8. 8Guardian Australia via Yahoo: Simply visiting Santa no longer seems quite enough (Dec. 2019) (uk.style.yahoo.com)
9. 9SBS News: Adelaide sets records for Christmas heat (25 Dec. 2016) (sbs.com.au)
10. 10MSC: Expected surge in buying prawns this Christmas (YouGov survey, Dec. 2022) (msc.org)
11. 11Canstar Blue: Christmas lunch survey (Dec. 2025) (canstarblue.com.au)