Bowral Tulip Time Festival 2026

Bowral Tulip Time Festival

First staged in the late 1950s as a modest “Festival of Flowers” that folded within a couple of years for lack of funds, the festival was revived when the local Rotary Club donated a batch of tulip bulbs to be planted in Corbett Gardens — a small gesture that grew into one of Australia’s oldest and best-loved floral festivals.

Held annually each spring in the Southern Highlands town of Bowral, the festival transforms Corbett Gardens into a sea of tens of thousands of hand-planted tulips and annuals, drawing visitors from across the country to a town that swells well beyond its usual size for the occasion.

Festival Highlights:

• Corbett Gardens in Full Bloom: Tens of thousands of tulip bulbs and annuals, hand-planted by local volunteers, transform the gardens’ lawns into a vivid, ever-changing floral display.
• Tulips After Dark: On selected evenings the gardens are illuminated after sunset, offering a twilight version of the display alongside evening entertainment.
• Markets & Makers: Craft and food markets pop up around the gardens, with local artisan stalls, food trucks and Southern Highlands produce.
• Garden Tours, Workshops & Dogs Day Out: A family-friendly program of guided garden tours and floral workshops rounds out the festival, including a dedicated dog-friendly day in the gardens.

Tips for Visitors & Trip Planning:

• Entry: The gardens keep set daily opening hours for the festival, with extended hours over the long weekend — check the official program for ticketed evening sessions like Tulips After Dark.
• Best Time to Visit: Corbett Gardens is compact and gets busy quickly — an early morning or weekday visit makes for a far more relaxed stroll through the blooms than a weekend afternoon.
• Getting There: Bowral sits on the Southern Highlands rail line with direct trains from Sydney, roughly a 90-minute journey; if driving, allow extra time and expect in-town parking to fill fast on peak festival weekends.
• What to Wear: Spring weather in the Southern Highlands is famously changeable — layers, a light jacket and comfortable walking shoes are the safest bet, with something warmer for the evening sessions.
• Accommodation: The Southern Highlands’ limited stock of guesthouses and hotels books out quickly for festival season, so booking well in advance is strongly recommended.
• Explore Bowral: Beyond the gardens, the wider Southern Highlands region rewards a longer stay — browse top Bowral tours and activities here.

See details below, under “Event Related Information” section.