Spring Blooms in the Highlands
If there’s ever a time to visit the Southern Highlands, it’s the October long weekend. Spring has well and truly sprung, the air is crisp, and the whole region is buzzing with colour, music, markets and festivals.
Of course, the star of the show is the Tulip Time Flower Festival in Bowral – nearly 100,000 tulips in bloom at Corbett Gardens. But this year, the flowers are just the beginning. Arrive Friday night, settle into your accommodation, and wake up Saturday ready to soak up everything from world-class festivals to family-friendly fairs, bushwalks, live music and delicious food and wine.
This is the Southern Highlands at its absolute best – fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh festivals and fresh new memories just waiting to be made.
Tulip Time: Bowral’s Iconic Flower Festival
It wouldn’t be October in the Highlands without the Tulip Time Flower Festival. This iconic festival runs from Friday 12 September right through until Monday 6 October, and it’s often the reason many people make their annual pilgrimage to Bowral. Corbett Gardens becomes a kaleidoscope of tulips, music drifts through the air, and the streets are alive with community spirit.
And it’s not just Corbett Gardens putting on a show. The Tulip Trail invites you to wander further afield, with tulip displays blooming across Mittagong, Moss Vale and beyond – even private gardens and shopfronts often get in on the spring colour.
But Tulip Time is about more than just the flowers – it’s about the energy it brings to the whole region during spring. Beyond Corbett Gardens, you’ll find a series of events and experiences running across the weekend, from local markets to live entertainment and garden tours.
One of the sweetest side-line Tulip Time events across the long weekend is The Beekeepers (Long) Lunch Experience – Spring Edition at Bowral Honey Farm, Retford Park. Join a local beekeeper to meet the bees, taste golden Highlands honey, then settle in for a locavore long lunch [with a little sketching on the side] – a perfect spring activity for everyone.
Festivals, Fairs & Fabulous Nights Out
Tulip Time sets the scene, but it’s only the beginning of what’s blooming across the Highlands this October long weekend – with festivals, fairs and live music adding bursts of colour and energy. The Highlands is buzzing with big events across the region, each one giving you another reason to stay, explore and play all weekend…
- Kick things off Friday night with the Fleetwood Mac Experience tribute concert at Robertson Public House & Kitchen [3 October]. Nothing like a dose of Dreams and Go Your Own Way to start the weekend.
- On Saturday and Sunday, the much-anticipated Horizontal Festival takes over Bowral’s Centennial Vineyard [4-5 October]. This isn’t your average wine festival – think immersive zones featuring sparkling and oysters, Italian-style antipasto feasts, rosé masterclasses, craft beer, cheese caves, art, DJs and jazz. It’s being billed as a redefined festival experience, and from the sounds of it, they’re not wrong.
- Sunday 5 October belongs to Robertson with the Robertson Country Fair celebrating the 30th anniversary of the much-loved Aussie film Babe. Expect all the small-town country fair charm: stalls, music, family activities, and a good dose of nostalgia.
Between the tulips, the vineyards, the fairs and the music, the Highlands is putting on a show that’ll keep you busy from dawn ‘til dusk.
Boutique Events & Local Treasures
Beyond Tulip Time and other headline festivals, the Southern Highlands is full of smaller experiences that make the long weekend extra special. Lace up your sneakers for The Bradman Dash at Bradman Oval in Bowral, a fun run with a legendary twist. Sip and stroll on the Experience Sparkling walking tour at Tractorless Wines, where bubbles and vineyard views await. Grab a slice of delicious wood-fired pizza and enjoy music Live on the Lawn at Artemis Wines. Go behind the scenes with the Mittagong Mushroom Tunnel Tours, discovering the fascinating world of fungi. Or wander the whimsical blooms at Oxley Hill Farm, where flower farm tours led by Candice Burger showcase the beauty of nature and the joy of flowers.
And that’s just the start – there’s open gardens, high tea, long lunches, markets, historic homes, farm tours, and so much more.
Check out these October Long Weekend events happening across the Highlands during Tulip Time and start planning your spring weekend adventure now.
Beyond the Events: Relax & Explore
Events may draw the crowds, but the real magic of the Highlands lies in slowing down and soaking up the landscape, food, and hospitality.
Start with a wander around Lake Alexandra in Mittagong or take the family on a crisp spring bushwalk exploring Fitzroy Falls located in Morton National Park. Pack a picnic, or better yet, stock up on local goodies from the weekend markets and turn it into a moveable feast.
The Highlands food scene is thriving – from café breakfasts in Bowral to country pubs in Robertson, and long, lazy lunches at vineyard restaurants dotted across the region. Coffee culture is strong here too, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to your mid-morning flat white.
When it comes to where to stay in the Southern Highlands, there’s something for every style of trip and budget: boutique B&Bs, family-friendly cottages, luxe vineyard retreats or heritage guesthouses in the main towns. Just don’t leave booking too late – the long weekend is peak season.
Want a full breakdown of the best places to eat, drink, stay, shop and play? Check out this Tulip Time Southern Highlands Weekend Guide.
Plan Your October Long Weekend in the Southern Highlands Today
So there it is! The October long weekend in the Southern Highlands: tulips in full bloom, a brand-new food and wine festival, a country fair celebrating Babe, live music to kick it all off, and a countryside that’s never looked more beautiful.
All that’s left is to rally your friends and family, book your accommodation, grab your tickets, and plan how you’re going to relax and enjoy it all.
Whether you’re sipping rosé at Centennial, tasting honey straight from the hive, browsing tulips in Bowral, or strolling a bush trail with coffee in hand, one thing’s certain: spring in the Highlands is something truly special.
Fresh air, fresh flowers, and fresh memories await.
See you in the Highlands this October long weekend.
