Our performance

National reach, local impact

Starlight’s Vision is for everyone to experience a happy childhood.

Happiness in childhood is a strong determinant of how you perform in education, employment and long-term healthy life behaviours. For children who are seriously ill, their ability to be happy is significantly impacted. This is why Starlight exists… because Happiness Matters.

Our mission to brighten the lives of seriously ill children and young people drives everything we do and every decision we make. Working in partnership with clinicians across Australia, we bring play, creativity and social connection into healthcare settings.

Each of our programs are purposefully designed to provide positive disruption, helping children and young people cope with pain, fear, and isolation, replacing stress with hope, laughter, and resilience.

As Australia’s broadest-reaching children’s charity, charity, Starlight’s impact is both national in scale and deeply personal in effect.

• In 2025, we created 926,887 experiences for children, young people, and families in major hospitals, regional health services, remote communities, and through digital platforms.

• Starlight provided a further 4,554,896 engagements through our online entertainment with Captain Starlight.

• Total Positive Starlight Experiences reached 5,481,783 in 2025

Our work is only possible thanks to the generosity of the community, individuals and organisations. In 2025, Starlight raised over $48 million through fundraising and community support, enabling us to deliver programs that transform the healthcare experience for seriously ill children across Australia.

Amplifying our impact

All Starlight’s programs support our Theory of Change, and we measure this against three key areas:

• Thriving Mentally and Emotionally

• Social Connection and Sense of Belonging

• A More Positive Healthcare Experience

Starlight‘s work changes lives in the moment and into the future. Our Social Return on Investment of $5.70 for $1 invested demonstrates the value Starlight delivers to the health system, families, and communities.

2024 Income & expenses

In 2024, Starlight's fundraising income was $47.6m, including an 18.3% increase in donated goods and services. Adjusted for a one-off bequest in 2023, income grew year-on-year.Total expenses were $50.4M, reflecting continued investment in program growth and infrastructure.

2024 Program spend

Starlight’s aspiration is to spend 60% of funds raised every year on our Programs. In 2024 this spend was 58.5%.

Donated Goods and Services

We received $3.9m total value of donated goods and services used in program delivery.

This included:

Toys, games and art supplies from amazing partners like LEGO Australia, Amazon Australia, Spotlight, Cleverpatch, EB Games/Zing Pop Culture, Mattel and Hasbro for our Starlight Express Rooms and Livewire Programs.

Support for Starlight Wishes and Wish Week from Virgin Australia, Aust Grand Prix, Thredbo & Village Roadshow Theme Parks.

Support for our Spark Accelerator team from The Walt Disney Company for movie subscriptions and mini movie theatres for our Starlight Express Rooms and fun Merchandise for Movie Moments.

Funding our Capital Projects

As new children’s hospitals are built or redeveloped there is a need for Starlight to build new Starlight Express Rooms in each hospital location. These Starlight Express Rooms require capital funding, which is incremental to our annual core operational expenditure and is raised through specific capital campaigns.

In 2024 Starlight redeveloped the Connection Space at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children and was made possible thanks to support from Philanthropists and the community.

The redevelopment has transformed the space into a wonderful new area including quiet zones, art and creative activities, play therapy, gaming experiences, a parent’s area and a new outdoor terrace – helping kids and families take a break and spend time together.