In the southern highlands of New South Wales, an easy and enjoyable drive from Sydney, spring is tulip time.
As you head southwest on the Hume Highway (which runs into Melbourne), enter the city of Mittagong (113 km from Sydney) and visit the Southern Highlands Visitor Center, which should be on your left if you are coming from Sydney
This is as good a place as any to take a short break, admire the tulips blooming in the visitor center in the spring, and get all the information you need about the Bowral Tulip Time Festival and the southern highlands in general.
Get to Bowral
If you are coming from Sydney or other places north of Mittagong, turn left at the fork in the road in Mittagong with a clearly visible sign pointing the way to Bowral. The journey from Sydney should take about an hour and a half.
If you are coming from Canberra or other points south of Mittagong along the Hume Highway, watch out for the right turn towards Bowral as you approach Mittagong city center.
You will not get lost following the path to Bowral.
The festival
The Bowral Tulip Time Festival is generally held for 10 days or so within the New South Wales Labor Day fortnight.
The annual Bowral event features the planting of up to 100,000 tulip bulbs, centered in Corbett Gardens. There will also be a host of open gardens to visit.
The festival information office is on the corner of Bendooley and Merrigang streets.
Other attractions
Art shows, street and other entertainment, specialty dishes prepared with local produce, and specialty garden shows on Labor Day weekend are among the attractions of the Bowral Tulip Time Festival.
For many, just taking that leisurely stroll through the hills of the South Highlands, and savoring the country air, is pleasure enough. The flowers are a bonus.
