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The southern hemisphere’s largest cherry blossom festival returns to Sydney

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
A little slice of Japan hiding in Western Sydney is preparing to bloom.

Fans of Japan’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival near Mt Fuji were left disappointed earlier this year when the beloved annual event was cancelled amid overtourism concerns. Thankfully, Australia has its own version. No expensive plane tickets, no long-haul flights and no precious annual leave. Just a leisurely drive to Auburn Botanic Gardens, 30 minutes from Sydney’s CBD.

Inside Sydney’s Cherry Blossom Festival

In the lead-up to spring each year, the 200 cherry blossom trees within Auburn Botanic Gardens slowly begin to awaken. It takes roughly three weeks for the tiny green buds to burst, coming into full bloom and transforming the garden grounds into a sea of sorbet-hued pink.

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, NSW
The Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival has been welcoming visitors since 2011.

But while the gardens have long been a local favourite, not many people knew about the fleeting natural spectacle, happening just outside one of Australia’s biggest cities.

So in 2011, the Cumberland City Council officially launched the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, inviting everyone to witness the largest cherry blossom display in the southern hemisphere for themselves. Since then, the nine-day event has blossomed into one of the most beloved spring festivals in Australia.

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, NSW
A traditional torii gate marks the beginning of the cherry blossom trail. (Credit: Destination NSW)

This year, the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival is once again welcoming both returning visitors and first-time guests to experience the magic of sakura season. It’s a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture in the heart of Western Sydney, where traditional performances, live music, interactive workshops and bustling market stalls evoke the spirit of Japan.

Foodies can also look forward to sampling a wide variety of authentic cuisine. From sakura burgers to steamed bao buns, local food trucks pump out dishes you’d expect to find at some of Sydney’s best Japanese restaurants. Or pack a picnic and enjoy lunch by the lake, where swans and ducks lazily paddle by.

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, NSW
Keep an eye out for peacocks roaming freely through the gardens. (Credit: Destination NSW)

Water birds aren’t the only wildlife species found at Auburn Botanic Gardens, either. Swans and peacocks roam freely across the property’s 9.2 hectares, while the onsite Fauna Reserve acts as a sanctuary for kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and emus.

At the heart of it all lies the cherry blossom trail, which begins beneath a traditional red torii gate. The path winds its way through the delicate blooms, instantly transporting visitors to the Land of the Rising Sun and offering a moment for contemplation (or the perfect photo opp) under falling pink petals.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Planning your visit

The Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival will return to Auburn Botanic Gardens from 22–30 August 2026, open from 9am to 4.30pm. Entry is ticketed, with passes available to purchase online via the Cumberland City Council website. There will be no ticket sales at the gate, so be sure to book in advance.

Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, NSW
Auburn Botanic Gardens is home to roughly 200 cherry blossom trees.

Located around 20 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD, Auburn Botanic Gardens can be easily reached via public transport. Both the T1 and T2 train lines stop at Auburn Station, where a free festival shuttle bus will transport visitors to and from the gardens throughout the event.

Those arriving by car should be aware that there is no onsite car park and street parking is limited. However, a dedicated drop-off and pick-up zone will operate on Killen Street, providing quick and easy access for taxi or rideshare services. Auburn Botanic Gardens is also wheelchair and pram friendly, with accessible bathrooms onsite.

Address: Auburn Botanic Gardens, Chisholm Rd & Chiswick Rd, Auburn NSW

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Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to check out places like Scotland and North America, her favourite place to explore will always be her homeland.
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Art, wine & fireplaces: 8 reasons Bowral is the ultimate winter getaway

(Credit: Destination NSW)

    Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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    The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.

    Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.

    The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.

    Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.

    1. Check in

    aerial of Ardour Milton Park Bowral in winter
    Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.

    After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.

    2. Hunt for treasure

    couple exploring Dirty Janes bowral
    Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.

    Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.

    3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery

    kids posing with donald bradman statue in bowral's The Bradman Museum
    Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.

    Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.

    4. A taste of France

    table spread at Lucette bowral
    Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.

    For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.

    Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.

    5. Indulge in a tipple

    Centennial Vineyards bowral in winter
    Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)

    The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.

    This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.

    6. Blend your own gin

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar
    Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)

    Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.

    7. Go for a walk at dawn

    Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.

    8. Cosy up by the fireplace

    Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel
    Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.

    A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.

    At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.

    Start planning your Bowral escape at visitsouthernhighlands.com.au.