Reality check: it’s September already! Instead of fretting about how fast the year’s flown by, we’re celebrating the petals, pastel colours and pure joy of spring. Across the country, floral festivals are gearing up to bloom – from Canberra’s Floriade to Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers and Sydney’s recent Cherry Blossom Festival. But down south, Australia’s largest tulip field is prepping to welcome visitors from Wynyard Tulip Festival – a massive, one-day flower fiesta in Tasmania.
Wynyard Tulip Festival takes place in Gutteridge Gardens on the banks of the Inglis River – a two-hour drive from Launceston. Since its launch 33 years ago, this one-day celebration has blossomed into a major event, drawing more than 20,000 visitors in 2024. This year, the festival lands on October 11, running from 11am to 9pm. This perfectly coincides with peak tulip season at Table Cape Tulip Farm, which is believed to be the largest tulip field in the Southern Hemisphere. The farm is at the heart of the festivities, with free shuttle buses running every 30 minutes from the festival hub in Gutteridge Gardens to Table Cape Tulip Farm (note: you need to pay an entry fee to the gardens). While the tulips are the star of the show, festivalgoers can also look forward to a packed program of local entertainment at Gutteridge Gardens, including delicious street food and a grand fireworks finale at the gardens.
The best part? Wynyard Tulip Festival is free to attend! That includes laser tag, face painting, live music, roving entertainment, and interactive demos from special guests 2024 MasterChef runner-up Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry and ABC Gardening Australia host Hannah Moloney. To top it off, there'll be roughly 100 local market stalls and food trucks selling all types of creative and edible delights. The full Wynyard Tulip Festival program is yet to be released, but you can stay in the loop here.
