Planning lights for the patio, pool or driveway? Text us your suburb and the areas you want lit. Our automated quote assistant replies straight away, at any hour.
The best outdoor lighting ideas for a Queensland home start with the spaces you use after dark: the patio or alfresco, the pool surrounds, the driveway and the front entry. Light each one for what happens there. Soft, warm light where you eat, clear light on edges and steps, and a sensor light where you arrive. With Faze, a sensor security light starts from $245.
The quick answer
- Plan by area: patio or alfresco, pool surrounds, driveway and front entry each need a different kind of light.
- A sensor security light is from $245, and an outdoor weatherproof power point is from $305.
- LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen globes and last 5 to 10 times longer, according to energy.gov.au.
- In Queensland, any fixed wired outdoor light must be installed by a licensed electrician. You’re free to buy the fittings yourself.
Which outdoor lighting ideas suit each area of the home?
Start with how you use each space at night, then pick the light. The table matches four areas people use after dark to the kind of light that suits each one.
| Area | What the light needs to do | Ideas that work |
|---|---|---|
| Patio or alfresco | Soft, even light for eating and talking | Warm white downlights or wall lights on a dimmer, pendants over the table |
| Pool surrounds | Show the edge, the steps and the gate | Low lights along paths, a wall light at the gate |
| Driveway | Light up when a car or person arrives | A sensor flood light on the house, low lights along the edge |
| Front entry | Show the steps, the lock and the house number | A wall light beside the door, step lights, a sensor |
Garden beds, trees and feature walls are a different job, more about looks than use. Our garden lighting ideas guide covers those.
Lighting a patio or alfresco area
An alfresco area works best with light that’s soft and warm, so the table is bright enough to eat at but nobody is squinting. Warm white is the colour to look for.
The Australian Government’s Energy Rating site says warm white is about 2,700K and suits relaxing spaces, while white at 4,000K is better for seeing detail. That makes 4,000K a good choice over a barbecue bench and warm white over the table.
- Put the table lights and the bench light on separate switches, so you can use one without the other.
- Add a dimmer for the table lights, and buy LEDs whose box says they’re compatible with dimmers.
- Fit an outdoor weatherproof power point for a heater, speaker or lamp. It’s from $305.
An alfresco ceiling can take a fan as well as lights. It must be a model its maker rates for outdoor use. Our ceiling fan installation page covers fans for patios and decks.
Pool surrounds: light the edges and the paths
Around a pool, the goal is to see where the paving ends and the water starts, and to find the gate. Low lights along the paths and a light at the gate do that without glare on the water.
What to plan around a pool
- Light the paths to the pool, the steps and the gate first.
- Choose fittings the maker rates for outdoor use, and look for a finish made to resist corrosion if you’re near salt water.
- Electrical equipment near a pool has its own rules on where it can go. The electrician sets the positions to suit them.
Driveway and front entry lights that switch themselves on
The driveway and the front door are where a sensor light earns its place. It comes on when you pull in or walk up, and stays off the rest of the night.
The federal energy site, energy.gov.au, says in its lighting advice that timers and sensors provide light only when and where it’s needed, and that motion sensing can switch on external lights when needed. It also warns that some controls aren’t compatible with particular globe types, so ask before you buy.
Lights along a driveway or garden edge, away from the house, need cable run underground. Laying that cable in conduit is the electrician’s job.
Get an instant price & book online Call 07 4428 2766
Choosing outdoor fittings that last
Pick LED. The same energy.gov.au page says LEDs use about 75% less energy than halogen globes and last 5 to 10 times longer. Outdoors, where lights are often on for hours, that difference shows up on the bill.
| Check on the box | Why it matters outdoors |
|---|---|
| Outdoor rating | The maker states where each fitting can be used. An indoor fitting isn’t made for rain or humidity. |
| IP rating | It shows how well the fitting is sealed against dust and water. The second number is the water rating, and a higher number means more protection. |
| Lumens | Lumens measure brightness. Energy Rating advises choosing by lumens, not watts. |
| Colour temperature | Warm white for living areas, a cooler white where you need to see detail. |
For a closer look at fitting types, see our guide to the best outdoor lighting for your home.
Who can install outdoor lighting in Queensland?
A licensed electrician. Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office lists replacing a batten holder with a new light fitting and installing a new power point as electrical work, and says you should always use a licensed electrician.
Don’t wire outdoor lights yourself. The Electrical Safety Office says DIY electrical work is unlicensed electrical work, which is illegal, and that an insurer may refuse a claim for a fire caused by illegal electrical work. Anything connected to the house wiring, including the transformer for a low voltage garden system, is the electrician’s job.
You can still buy the lights. The same page says it’s not illegal to buy accessories that need to be hard wired, but a licensed electrician must connect them. Our lighting and power point installation page covers the outdoor work we do.
Common questions about outdoor lighting
Do outdoor lights need a safety switch?
The Electrical Safety Office says you should consider having safety switches on all circuits, and names lighting among them. If your lighting circuit has none, see our safety switch installation page. Adding one to an existing switchboard is from $385.
What do smart outdoor lights cost to leave on standby?
Very little, but it adds up. Energy.gov.au says most smart lighting stays in standby to remain controllable, and suggests looking for a standby use of 0.5 W or less.
Can you replace old halogen lights on the patio ceiling?
Yes. Swapping a halogen downlight for an LED one is from $65 per downlight. Our LED downlight buying guide explains what to look for on the box.
Our advice
Walk around the house at night and list the areas you actually use: the alfresco, the pool gate, the driveway, the front door. Light those first, with warm white LEDs where you sit and a sensor light where you arrive. Leave the garden features for later, once the useful light is in.
Get a fixed price for your outdoor lights
Text us your suburb and the areas you want lit: patio, pool, driveway or entry. Our automated quote assistant replies straight away, at any hour.
Get an instant price & book online Call 07 4428 2766
Calls are answered Monday to Friday, 7am to 3:30pm. Or send the details online.
Prices current as of 5 October 2026, from the Faze Electrical & Airconditioning price list. Every quote is free and fixed in writing, with a 12 month workmanship warranty and a certificate of testing and compliance. Electrical contractor licence 90552, issued by the Electrical Safety Office. Sources: Electrical Safety Office Queensland, “Don’t do your own electrical work” and “Safety switches”; energy.gov.au, “Lighting”; Energy Rating, “Choosing the right lamp”. This article is general information. It is not advice about your property.
Related guides
Exhaust fan installation cost: what changes the price
Best Garden Lighting Ideas for Australian Homes
LED Strip Lighting Installation Cost Brisbane Guide- How a ceiling fan is installed in Queensland, and who can legally do it
- How a light switch is wired in Australia, and who can legally do it
All guides: electrical and air conditioning guides.
Licensed electricians and ARCtick refrigeration technicians, Queensland Electrical Contractor Licence 90552 and ARCtick L181564. We install and service split systems and do the electrical across Logan, Brisbane southside, Ipswich and the northern Gold Coast.
About Faze | Call 07 4428 2766 | Text 0489 275 747
Get an instant price and book online, any hour
Split system installs, servicing and repairs are priced and booked online in a few minutes, with a 30% deposit now and the balance on the day. For electrical work, book a $50 on-site quote visit, credited to the job if you go ahead.
Get an instant price & book online Call 07 4428 2766
Prices come from our current price list. Every booking has a 2 hour arrival window.