Corbett Gardens

Town gardens famous for spectacular tulip displays in October

Corbett Gardens in the center of Bowral is the town's main public garden, and in October it becomes a destination in itself. Tens of thousands of tulips bloom across the formal beds, creating a display that is genuinely impressive given that tulips are not native to Australia and require the cool highland climate to thrive.

Outside tulip season, the gardens are pleasant year-round with mature trees, a small lake, and the kind of carefully maintained English-style planting that the Southern Highlands does well. The gardens connect to the town center and are free to enter, though events during Tulip Time require a ticket.

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A story
Tulip Time, held in Corbett Gardens each October, began in 1961 and grew into one of Australia's most attended regional festivals. At peak, more than 70,000 tulips bloom in the gardens, drawing visitors from Sydney who make it a spring pilgrimage. The Southern Highlands' cool climate — the region sits at around 700 meters elevation — makes it one of the few parts of NSW where tulips grow reliably.