Kaleidoscope of colours at Tesselaar Tulip Festival (Australia)
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The colourful Tesselaar Tulip Festival has been running since 1954 and is an iconic event for the Dandenong Ranges region. Over 100,000 people attend the festival each year between September and October to see a million flowers blooming.
Tulips and tulip festivals are mostly associated with the Netherlands. I am sure you have an image pre-programmed in your brain of a tulip festival. Most likely the image is something like this: fields of tulips rolling to the horizon, windmills in the background and a woman and child in traditional dress complete with wooden clogs picking some flowers to place in a basket.
Well, Tesselaar Tulip Festival offers this experience only 1 hour drive from Melbourne.
Whilst the festival now has flower fields, entertainment, food stalls and cultural performances, it started as people viewing the commercial farm. Well, actually, people kept jumping the fences to look at the tulips being grown so instead of making the fences higher, they started an annual Tulip Festival! I simply love this origin story for the festival and it shows how taking a different approach can lead to amazing outcomes.
What to expect
Here is a quick summary of what’s on offer since there is no point me repeating the website information in detail!
- Over 1,000,000 flowing bulbs, over 900,000 of these are tulips
- 25 acre working farm with 5 acres of flowers. Yes, 5 acres of flowers!
- Festivals runs for 30 days from mid-September to mid-October
- Daily entertainment
- Special themed weekends such as Jazz, Irish, Turkish, Dutch and Children’s
LEARN | Did you know tulips actually originate from Turkiye, but have become a symbol for the Netherlands.
Tulips, tulips and more tulips
The flowers are the main reason for attending the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and they do not disappoint.
Fields of tulips flow from the main entrance area down the hill to the market stage and food court. Pathways cut between the beds which provide ample locations for photographs. Ensure you stay off the flower beds regardless of how amazing the resulting photo would be.
Study the flowers in detail to notice the differences between the flower varieties. I never knew tulips could have different petal shapes such as pointed, fringed, and be single or double. Amazing!
Gardens
Whilst tulips are the main event, the gardens surrounding the upper food court and stage are really lovely. Find a quiet spot to sit or lay out the picnic blanket and soak up the vibes.
Activities
Get into the spirit of the festival with:
- Dutch games
- Musical and dance performances
- Roving entertainers, fairies and musicians
- Themed weekends
Windmills and clogs
Check out the world largest clog which is big enough to sit in! Replica windmills are dotted around the gardens and make a stunning backdrop to the tulips.
Food and drink
Those tastebuds will be in heaven with the range of food available at the tulip festival. Notable foods to try are the triple cooked chips, oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts), poffertjes (mini-pancakes) and croquettes.
Speciality shops
Browse the speciality shops and market stalls which include souvenirs, gifts, plants and bulbs, lollies and lots more.
There are lots of interesting varieties of tulips and other bulbs to purchase (potted or cut).
TIP | The potted tulips are really good value since you get to enjoy the flowers, and then plant the bulbs for next year.
Cost
Please check the Tesselaar Tulip Festival website for current prices.
At the time of publication the costs were AUD $35 adult, under 16 free, concession $31. There were also some cheaper tickets for Spring Fever Week.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the festival (self-serve kiosk or ticket booth). Prebooking is advised though, particularly on the weekends and school holidays period.
Parking at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival is free.
PLAN | A visit to the festival can be done on a budget by packing a picnic lunch and visiting during Spring Fever week.
Getting there
Self drive
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival website has details on getting to the festival which is located in Silvan, Victoria, Australia. Silvan sits within the Dandenong Ranges region and is a truly beautiful area.
The festival is around 1 hour from Melbourne and easily accessible by car.
PLAN | Need car hire? Check out the deals at rentalcars.com.
Public Transport
If you are catching public transport from Melbourne, take the train to Lilydale then Bus 663 to the festival. Taking public transport from Melbourne to Tesselaar Tulip Festival will cost AUD $10.60 (daily fare cap covers train and bus).
Melbourne to Lilydale via train – 50 minutes
Lilydale to the tulip festival on public bus– 30 minutes
Public Transport and festival shuttle bus
On the weekends there is a Tesselaar Tulip Festival shuttle bus ($5 return) from Lilydale which you can catch instead of Bus 663.
Melbourne to Lilydale via train – 50 minutes
Lilydale to the tulip festival on private bus – 15 minutes
Tours
Coach tour operators run direct buses if you prefer not to drive. These tours are advertised closer the date.
Looking for something more unique? Why not take a tour from Melbourne to the Dandenong’s in a classic ’56 Chevrolet . Now that is cruising in style!
How long is needed
An entire day slips by quickly at the tulip festival if you relax into it. Enjoy the entertainment, stroll the gardens, eat the food, eat some more food, laze about on a picnic blanket, then repeat.
At a minimum, allow 2 hours to walk around the festival. But this will be a quick trip.
EXPLORE | The festival is located in the Dandenong Ranges which have many stunning free gardens. See the dedicated blog post here.
Tips for visiting
A few tips for visiting the Tesselaar Tulip Festival are below.
Dress for the weather
Wondering what to wear to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival? Here my suggestions:
Anytime: comfortable shoes and clothing
Wet: Throw on some comfortable gumboots / wellies and pack a coat. BYO an umbrella or borrow one at the festival.
Hot: Bring a good sun smart hat, sunscreen and a water bottle to stay hydrated.
The farm is located in Silvan with the closest weather station being at Mount Dandenong.
PLAN | The Dandenong Ranges are in the state of Victoria which has a varied climate. Read this post to see which time of year would suit you best.
Tulip festival with children
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is an excellent family friendly day out and they have specific children’s days with extra activities.
Family friendly activities are outdoor, simple and technology free (the way I like it!). The games include wonderful lawn games like croquet, quoits (ring toss) and some great wooden obstacle equipment.
The Mythical Creatures Treasure Hunt encourages the children to search for information boards detailing legendary and mythical creatures. Once complete the children can get a small prize from the gift shop.
Tractor-train rides are also available for $5 each. This is a really fun way to go from one end of the Tulip Festival to the other.
Please ensure children are supervised as it is really temping to pick the bright, beautiful flowers!
Be respectful
Whilst there were plenty of signs informing people not to go into the tulip beds, many people ignore them. Whilst you might end up with a great selfie, you are damaging the tulips and ruining it for others.
So be respectful and take photos only from outside the roped area.
Oh, and do not pick any tulips from the beds! They have tulips for sale if you want to take one home.
Tulip Festival is dog friendly
Dogs on leads are welcome at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival. Ensure you bring poop bags to clean up after your precious fur baby.
Pack a picnic blanket
Sitting on a picnic blanket looking out at the tulip fields is stunning! You can bring your own food and drink but you can’t bring alcohol (you can purchase alcoholic drinks from vendors though).
Bring the camera, leave the drone
Bring your camera or phone to capture the tulips, but leave the drone at home. Drones are not allowed at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival.
Also…put the camera away for a bit and spend some time really looking at the tulips. Notice the different varieties, the colours, the shapes, the wonder of nature.
Accessibility
Head to the festival website for detailed information on accessibility.
When to visit
Tesselaar Tulip Festival is only on for one month between September and October, from 10.00am – 5.00pm.
An alternative to the tulip festival is the Tesselaar KaBloom festival which runs in March – April each year. KaBloom is spectacular and well worth a visit. So, if September / October does not suit for the tulip festival, head to KaBloom! Or go to both!
PLAN | The Dandenong Ranges are in the state of Victoria which has a varied climate. Read this post to see which time of year would suit you best.
What to bring
Comfortable clothes, water bottle, sturdy shoes.
Looking for more inspiration?
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Where to stay
The Dandenong Ranges are known for cosy Bed and Breakfast (BnB) style accommodation which makes you relax instantly. Somewhere I have always wanted to stay is the popular A Loft in the Mill Olinda which is a replica 19th Century English Flour Mill in the heart of Olinda. But they book out fast!
Hotel style accommodation can be found in surrounding towns such as Ferntree Gully and Lilydale. Whilst you might not get the Dandenong Ranges vibes staying in a hotel, they are cheaper and only a short drive to the gardens. The Nightcap at York on Lilydale is excellent.
Accommodation options are also detailed on the main tourism website.
Further information
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival can be found on Facebook, Instagram, or head to the website. Still need more convincing? Pop over to Trip Advisor for more reviews of Tesselaar Tulip Festival.
Things to do nearby
There is so much to do in the Dandenong Ranges! Visit gardens, playgrounds, flower festivals, visit plant nurseries, admire art galleries, catch the Puffing Billy scenic train, explore every village, eat, drink and eat some more…the list goes on!
Final thoughts
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is definitely worth a visit and makes a perfect day trip from Melbourne.
Extend your day visit into a weekend away and explore more of the stunning Dandenong Ranges. There is honestly so much to see and do in this region of Victoria!
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