Looking for things to do in the Southern Highlands this spring? From September through November, the region comes alive with colourful gardens, new growth in the vineyards and baby animals across the countryside. Discover amazing festivals, seasonal food and wine experiences, local markets and special events throughout Bowral, Berrima, Robertson, Moss Vale and beyond. Explore what’s on, find upcoming dates and start planning your spring visit to the Southern Highlands.
Spring Festivals & Events
Spring brings a packed calendar of festivals, open gardens, markets and community celebrations to the Southern Highlands. Across September, October and November, visitors can enjoy major events in Bowral alongside food, wine, garden and family-friendly experiences throughout the region’s villages.
Tulip Time Flower Festival
Dates: 11 September–5 October 2026
Location: Corbett Gardens, Bowral
Tulip Time is one of Australia’s oldest and most celebrated floral festivals. Corbett Gardens becomes the colourful centrepiece, with massed tulip displays and spring entertainment in the heart of Bowral. The gardens are scheduled to open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm daily, making the festival an easy addition to a Southern Highlands day trip or weekend away.
Visitors can combine Tulip Time with lunch in Bowral, local shopping or a relaxed Southern Highlands wine tour.
Horizonal Festival 2026
Dates: 2–4 October 2026
Location: Centennial Vineyards, Bowral
Horizontal Festival returns to the Southern Highlands over the October long weekend, bringing together food, wine, live music and art among the vines at Centennial Vineyards. The program features a mix of tastings, dining experiences, performances and creative events showcasing local and visiting talent.
It is an excellent choice for visitors wanting to experience the Southern Highlands’ food and wine culture in one festival weekend. Accommodation and individual sessions may book quickly, so planning ahead is recommended.
Gardens, Farms & Baby Animals
Spring is a beautiful time to explore the Southern Highlands beyond its cellar doors. Gardens burst into colour, farms welcome new growth and young animals appear across the countryside, creating memorable experiences for couples, families and visitors of all ages.
Burradoo Park Farm
Burradoo Park Farm is a regenerative farming, food and garden destination set within the Southern Highlands countryside. Visitors can explore stunning landscaped gardens, productive flower farms and beautiful orchid displays while learning more about how local food and flowers are grown.
The farm precinct is also home to a gelato shop, bakery and general store café showcasing seasonal produce from the property and surrounding region. Visitors can stop for freshly baked goods, enjoy a casual meal or discover produce that reflects what is being grown and harvested throughout the season.
Spring is an especially rewarding time to visit, as fresh growth and seasonal colour spread throughout the property. Farm walks, workshops and paddock-to-table dining experiences offer further ways to explore the farm and its approach to regenerative agriculture.
General entry is free, although selected tours and activities require bookings. Visitors arriving during busy weekends, public holidays and school holidays may also need to reserve a free admission ticket before visiting.
Sondara Estate
Sondara Estate combines a boutique Southern Highlands vineyard with a relaxed country-farm experience. Highland cattle, sheep and goats are often seen around the property, with baby goats and other young animals adding to the charm during spring.
Visitors can enjoy a guided tasting of Sondara’s cool-climate wines while taking in the vines and surrounding countryside. As the animals roam different areas of the farm, sightings can vary between visits—but they are part of what makes Sondara feel distinctly different from a conventional cellar door.
Sondara Estate can be included as part of a Vino Rosso Tours itinerary (See our half-day or full-day tours), allowing guests to enjoy the wine, scenery and farm atmosphere without worrying about the driving. Ask us about including Sondara Estate on an upcoming tour.
Ardour Milton Park Bowral Gardens
Ardour Milton Park Bowral is one of the Southern Highlands’ most beautiful historic estates. Its formal gardens, originally laid out by Mary Hordern, are regarded among Australia’s finest and are particularly impressive during spring, when the estate fills with fresh foliage and seasonal colour.
Beyond the gardens, visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of the restored 1856 homestead, dine at Horderns Restaurant or book a traditional high tea. It is an elegant addition to a Southern Highlands escape, particularly for couples, garden lovers and visitors celebrating a special occasion.
Garden access, dining and high tea arrangements may vary, so visitors should confirm availability or make a reservation before travelling.
If you’re staying at Ardour Milton Park – Vino Rosso Tours is happy to pick-up and drop-off as part of your tour.
Check out Milton Park→
Spring Food & Wine Experiences
Spring is an ideal season to experience the Southern Highlands’ cool-climate wines, local produce and country hospitality. Longer days and warmer weather make it easy to combine cellar-door tastings with a relaxed lunch, regional produce and time exploring the countryside.
From intimate boutique vineyards to established estates, breweries, distilleries and paddock-to-plate dining, there are plenty of ways to taste the region throughout spring.
Explore Southern Highlands Cellar Doors
Spring is a wonderful time to explore the Southern Highlands wine region. The vineyards return to life, the countryside becomes greener and cellar doors offer a relaxed setting for discovering the region’s distinctive cool-climate wines.
Across the region, visitors can taste elegant sparkling wines, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and a growing range of alternative varieties. Cellar doors range from intimate, family-run vineyards to larger estates offering restaurants, local produce and sweeping views across the vines.
Centennial Vineyards is particularly beautiful during spring, when its gardens burst into colour with flowering daffodils. Visitors can enjoy a wine tasting before relaxing at the terrace bar, which overlooks the vineyard and surrounding countryside.
Artemis Wines offers a more casual atmosphere, with wood-fired pizza served on the lawn and live music regularly featured on Sundays. It is a great place to settle in for an unhurried afternoon with wine, food and views across the property.
Prefer to leave the planning and driving to someone else? Vino Rosso Tours can create a relaxed itinerary combining cellar-door tastings, lunch and some of the Southern Highlands’ most memorable spring scenery.
