At a glance
- Grinch
- Thursday 12 November 4pm to 7pm, then Friday 13, Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 1:30pm to 4:30pm, at the giant hot air balloon in the Dining Piazza; free, no bookings
- Balloon Trail
- Launches Thursday 12 November at 9am; free; competition ends Sunday 29 November at 5pm AWST
- Santa’s arrival
- Saturday 21 November, from 9:45am in the Dining Piazza; Santa arrives at 10am; free, no bookings
- Santa photos
- 21 November to 24 December, outside Big W; pet sessions from 30 November, 5:30pm to 8:30pm; Sensitive Santa is sold out
- Parking
- Over 4,300 bays, reached from Beeliar Drive and Wentworth Parade; seven parking areas including a basement
- Who it’s for
- Families in Perth’s south who want to plan the Grinch weekend, the balloon trail and Santa’s arrival at Cockburn Gateway
- What to do now
- Pick your Grinch slot, book Santa photos online if you want one, and use the left turn at The Gate Bar & Bistro to leave
- Last checked
- Tuesday 10 November 2026, against six Cockburn Gateway pages
- Not yet confirmed
- Santa photo prices; parking charges (not stated on the centre’s page); bus times; Christmas Day and public holiday trading hours
The Grinch arrives at Cockburn Gateway on Thursday 12 November 2026, and visits again on 13, 14 and 15 November, according to the centre’s own event page. The same day, the free Christmas Hot Air Balloon Trail launches, and Santa arrives by balloon on Saturday 21 November. Western Australia does not use daylight saving, so all times are Perth time (AWST, UTC+8).
When can I meet the Grinch at Cockburn Gateway?
The centre says the Grinch will be at the giant hot air balloon in the Piazza Dining Precinct. The event is free and bookings are not required. Here are the four sessions:
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Thursday 12 November | 4pm to 7pm |
| Friday 13 November | 1:30pm to 4:30pm |
| Saturday 14 November | 1:30pm to 4:30pm |
| Sunday 15 November | 1:30pm to 4:30pm |
The centre adds that “the Grinch will be resting every 20 minutes during his visit”. You can also step inside the giant Christmas balloon installation and take a selfie. The page notes that Grinch is a trademark of Dr Seuss Enterprises.
How does the Hot Air Balloon Trail work?
The trail has four balloon installations across the centre, including a 6-metre statement balloon. The steps, as the centre gives them, are:
- Find all four hot air balloon installations in the centre.
- Collect a codeword at each stop.
- Piece the codewords together and enter for a chance to win.
The prize is a $1,000 Cockburn Gateway gift card and a hot air balloon ride for a family of four. The trail launches at 9am on Thursday 12 November, the competition ends at 5pm AWST on Sunday 29 November, and terms and conditions apply, so read them on the centre’s page before you enter.
What time does Santa arrive on 21 November?
The centre says Santa’s hot air balloon arrives on Saturday 21 November 2026. People are invited from 9:45am to the Dining Piazza, where the Head Elf starts the celebrations beneath the lit-up 6-metre balloon. At 10am “the Fremantle Doctor blows Santa straight into Cockburn Gateway”, and he is joined by festive performers and local community groups for a parade through the centre. It is free and no bookings are needed. The page does not say what time the parade finishes.
How do Santa photos, pet photos and letters work?
| What | When | Where and how |
|---|---|---|
| Santa photos | Saturday 21 November to Thursday 24 December | Outside Big W; booking online; Santa photography from 21 November from 11am |
| Pet photos | From Monday 30 November | Sessions run after hours, 5:30pm to 8:30pm |
| Sensitive Santa | Not stated | Sold out, according to the centre |
| Letters from the North Pole | 21 November to 16 December | Write a letter with your address to get a personalised reply and a summer treat voucher; the mailbox is beside the Santa Set |
The centre’s Christmas page also advertises a competition, “Win a $10K family holiday”, for people who book a Santa photo and have it taken by 4 December. Its page carries an asterisk for terms, so read them before you book. The centre does not give a price for the photos on the pages read for this guide, so check the booking page for that. Reschedule links are in your booking confirmation email.
Where do I park for the Christmas events?
Cockburn Gateway says it has over 4,300 bays, reached from Beeliar Drive and Wentworth Parade. Level 1 parking is via the ramp near the Soul Pattinson entry from Wentworth Parade, and the basement car park is also reached from Wentworth Parade. The centre says it has seven parking areas, including a basement, near Coles, Woolworths and the Piazza. The page does not state a parking charge.
For Christmas, the centre suggests a different way out: to avoid delays at the main roundabout, turn left at The Gate Bar & Bistro, which it says gives “a faster, cleaner path back to the main road”. The centre’s address is 816 Beeliar Drive, on the corner of Beeliar Drive and the Kwinana Freeway, Success. From the freeway, take the Beeliar Drive exit and head west, and the centre is immediately on your left.
Can I get there by train or bus?
The centre says it is “just a short walk” from Cockburn Central train station, and that the Transperth buses serving it are routes 525, 527, 530, 531, 532 and 535. The page gives no walking time or bus times, so use the Transperth journey planner. There are four taxi ranks: at the Piazza (The Coffee Club entrance), outside ANZ Bank (the ALDI entrance), outside Australia Post (the Coles entrance) and near the Vodafone and Telstra entrance.
What are the opening hours?
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Wednesday | 9am to 5:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am to 9pm |
| Friday | 9am to 5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am to 5pm |
| Sunday | 11am to 5pm |
The centre says retailers’ hours may vary and that extended, holiday and special event hours will be posted on its opening hours page. The phone number is (08) 9498 5574.
Sources
- Cockburn Gateway — Meet the Grinch (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — Hot Air Balloon Trail (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — For the Love of Santa’s Arrival (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — For the Love of Santa Photos (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — Letters from the North Pole (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — Getting Here (checked 10 November 2026)
- Cockburn Gateway — Opening Hours (checked 10 November 2026)
Featured image: the northern entry to Cockburn Gateway Shopping Centre (photo: Betterkeks / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Cockburn Gateway, The GPT Group or Scene To Believe. Event times, bookings and parking can change; check the centre’s website or call (08) 9498 5574 before you visit.