Friday, 23 September 2016

Flower into spring - Six of Australia’s top flower festivals

Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Recognising that nothing signals the arrival of spring better than a display of bright, colourful flowers carpeting the landscape, BIG4 Holiday Parks has compiled a list of some of the country’s top flower festivals.

A number of destinations around Australia embrace the floral theme by hosting flower festivals each spring. In fact, some of these festivals have histories that date back more than half a century and attract big crowds every year.

As spring blooms, they’re a comforting sign indicating that the cold and wet of winter has passed (for many Australians) and plenty of sun-kissed days lie ahead.

Here are half a dozen annual Australian flower festivals that have caught BIG4’s eye.

1. Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Queensland 

(16 - 25 September 2016)
Considering it has earned the title of the ‘Garden City’ – owing to its plethora of public parks and gardens – it is little surprise that Toowoomba has an annual flower festival.

The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is entering its 67th year and is more than just a celebration of all things flora. The 10-day festival focuses on a wide range of themes, including food and wine, music, fashion, and the arts. A range of garden tour options gives dedicated green thumbs the opportunity to witness a bunch of floral displays with ease. Family-friendly events provide widespread appeal.

Upwards of 20 venues play host to this Queensland event, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors.

Where to stay: BIG4 Toowoomba Garden City Holiday Park.

2. Bright Spring Festival, Victoria 

(15 October - 1 November 2016)
The Victorian town of Bright is a kaleidoscope of colour, and in spring it truly blossoms. The Bright Spring Festival has been held for more than 25 years and has a wide assortment of open gardens to admire.

While here, visitors can enjoy the opportunity to talk directly to the gardening experts. Along with the garden displays are markets, workshops, art exhibitions, foodie events, and even a fireworks display.

Where to stay: BIG4 Bright Holiday Park or BIG4 Porepunkah Holiday Park.

3. Tesselaar Tulip Festival, Silvan, Victoria 

(8 September - 4 October 2016) 
Also in Victoria, the Tesselaar Tulip Festival has been an eye-catching affair since 1954. Located in Silvan in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, the festival features a phenomenal collection of tulips – with more than half a million on show.

For those who can pry themselves away from this glorious display – possibly when their camera battery has given up – there is much more to catch visitors’ attention. Market stalls, live entertainment, tractor rides, and various themed days enhance the festival’s appeal.

Where to stay: BIG4 Yarra Valley Holiday Park in Healesville.

4. Kings Park Festival, Perth, Western Australia 

(1 - 30 September 2016)
Dating back more than half a century, the Kings Park Festival is a Perth institution. The event showcases a remarkable display of wildflowers at a time when they are at their blooming best, presented at a majestic venue that receives plenty of attention year-round. Free guided wildflower walks are great for floral fanatics with live music and family fun days ensuring the festival has even more appeal.

Where to stay: Discovery Parks – Perth Vineyards and Discovery Parks – Perth.

5. Renmark Rose Festival, South Australia 

(14 - 23 October 2016)
The South Australian town of Renmark springs to life each October as it celebrates a floral favourite – the rose. The Renmark Rose Festival is entering its 22nd year and features an assortment of events spread across a host of venues.

The festival stems from a desire to promote Renmark as the Rose Capital of Australia, and for 10 days this South Australian town certainly upholds that aim.

There are a number of open gardens that visitors can wander around. The premier find is Ruston's Rose Garden, which houses the National Rose Collection. Along with the chance to admire rows and rows of roses are various activities and demonstrations.

The neighbouring towns of Loxton and Waikerie join the party with several open gardens ensuring this event is at its rosiest.

Where to stay: BIG4 Renmark Riverfront Holiday Park or Loxton Riverfront Caravan Park.

6. Bathurst Spring Spectacular, New South Wales 

(29-30 October 2016)
The Bathurst Spring Spectacular ensures this New South Wales town is cloaked in colour. The festival features 10 gardens when they are at their brightest and best; each one different from the next. These immaculate gardens provide plenty of fine photo opportunities and proceeds from this event go to local charities.

Where to stay: BIG4 Bathurst Panorama Holiday Park.

Looking for some other spring flower festivals around Australia? Try Floriade in Canberra (17 September-16 October) or Tulip Time in the New South Wales city of Bowral (13-25 September).

BIG4

BIG4 Holiday Parks is Australia’s leading holiday park group. Dedicated to the spirit of the true blue Aussie holiday, it has been celebrating the great outdoors for more than three decades. Comprising of 180 holiday parks across Australia, the franchise group provides a range of high-quality accommodation options from powered ensuite sites for caravan and motorhomes to luxury cabins. With a consistently high standard across all its parks, BIG4 has set the standard of holiday park experiences and is the recognised industry leader. For more information, visit www.BIG4.com.au.

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