Those looking to attend The Tesselaar Tulip Festival will be happy to know it is only one hour’s drive from the Melbourne CBD. This popular yearly event is renowned for its amazing display of tulip flowers and interactive exhibits.
You will come across a variety of tulip species from all over the world so come and explore over half a million tulips at the wonderful Tesselaar Tulip Festival.
Tesselaar Tulip Festival 2023 Dates Calendar, Times & Tickets, Silvan
Well over a million spring flowering bulbs are on show throughout the festival. We have live entertainment on stage every day for you to enjoy, including music and performances. You can wander around the gardens and indulge in traditional Dutch foods and other treats. There is more than a touch of Dutch; you could visit our Clog Shop and try some on, see the biggest clog in the world (and climb in for a photo). You can find treasures in the souvenir and market stalls. See beautiful garden displays, take a Tulip Tractor ride, see farm displays, visit our Fairy Garden, complete a treasure hunt, and so much more.
On Every Day
Every day (except Children’s Days), there is a Clog Dancing Workshop at 11:30 and 2pm, see how it is done and give it a whirl. Plus at 1pm the Historic Cheese Market performance is where you can see an amazing spectacle of how Dutch cheeses were bought and sold. Admire the replica Dutch Windmills positioned throughout the tulip fields and gardens; great for a photo or two! The best Dutch fare with traditional treats from Poffertjes to sausages and everything in between.
The tractor train departs from the Tulip Station regularly, taking in the gorgeous scenery as it tours the farm. Passengers will enjoy an audio full of information about how the farm began and how we grow and care for all the flowers. This is a wheelchair-friendly ride, and people with limited mobility and their carers ride free. Anyone over 4 is $5, and under 4 are free of charge. Groups of four are $15.
There is a huge range of food available every day. Including such Dutch treats as Poffertjes, Croquettes, Dutch Kibbeling (fish), Reifkoek (Dutch Potato Cakes), Frikandellen (Sausage dish), Gozleme, Baked Potatoes, Potato Twisters, Cakes, Calamari, Double Dutch Soft Serve, Belgian Fries to name a few. You are welcome to bring a picnic too. The food stall prices range from $3 to $23.
Market and food stalls are showing off their wares every day at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival. Choose from thousands of unique souvenirs, many imported directly from Holland, including wooden clogs and tulips.
Have a drink with friends and enjoy the variety of live musical entertainment every day. The fairy garden Fairy tells her magical tales.
Australia’s largest wooden clog is on display at the Tesselaar Tulip Festival. Visitors are welcome to jump in for a photo!
Turkish Weekend (September 16 – 17)
The tulip originated in Turkey, and they were host to the world’s first Tulip Festival more than 400 years ago. The love for the Tulip and the tradition is still strong today.
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival Turkish Weekend is a showcase of Turkish culture among the tulips. With more than 100 performers, it is a colourful and exciting weekend.
This year’s Festival will once again feature demonstrations of art, dance, music and gourmet food. Visitors will have the opportunity to celebrate, learn, and savour Turkish hospitality, culture, and heritage.
Children’s Weeks (September 18 – 21 & September 25 – 28)
There will be an awesome lineup of family fun, including Live Interactive Experiences with Bluey and Bingo during week one of the holidays. In week two, Peppa and George Pig come for their stage show.
There will be the Fairy with intriguing tales in the Fairy Hollow. You can touch and learn about Australian wildlife from Black Snake Productions. There are a variety of craft workshops on offer for a small fee. Children can test out their powers of observation on the Treasure Hunt, participate in some fun Dutch and garden games, ride on the Tulip Train, indulge in traditional Dutch foods and other treats, see market stalls, visit the clog shop, and, of course be amongst the sensational tulips.
Oh, don’t forget, there are plenty of photo opportunities!
Dutch Weekend (September 22 – 24)
Grab your clogs and head on to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival this weekend as it transforms into a mini-Holland!
The founders, Cees and Johanna Tesselaar, emigrated from The Netherlands on their wedding day, bringing tulip bulbs in their suitcase, and their passion for flowers lives on this weekend.
Food Wine & Jazz Weekend (September 29 – October 1)
Come along and tap your toes to the music while indulging in delicious Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges foods and beverages. Entry includes complimentary tastings from some amazing boutique wineries, distilleries and breweries.
Live Music with Dr Jazz and the Gangsters Palace, Apple Ida and Her Cider Press Band and The Daryl McKenzie Jazz Ensemble will entertain all weekend.
The Tulip Fairy will be telling tales in the fairy garden. There are some delicious market stalls and all the fun of the fair with the daily activities and features.
Spring Fever Weeks (October 2 – 5 & October 9 – 12)
This is a great time to enjoy a day out in the tulips without the rush of school holidays. Need another reason? The tickets are specially discounted for these weeks only!
Rock the Fields Weekend (October 6 – 8)
Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy some rocking tunes in the blooms this weekend.
THere will be live music from the 50’s and 60’s to cut a rug to, funky food trucks and fashion fun – spot prizes given to the best-dressed beauties and beaus.
Irish Weekend (October 13 – 15)
Why not rejoice in the Tulips this weekend with fun, music, dancing and Leprechauns! It is time to get out and enjoy spring while the tulips continue to bloom!
As you sit back and enjoy a Guinness or Kilkenny, there will be top musical entertainment on two different stages from The Kerrys and The Tipplers. There will be Irish Pipers roving the fields all three days, and enjoy Irish dancing performances from The Victorian Irish Dancing Academy at 11am, 1:30pm & 3:00pm on Saturday & Sunday.
The delightful Dandenong Ranges Yarra Valley region provides a stunning backdrop for this unmissable event. This area is home to many magnificent gardens to visit over the weekend.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. If you purchase your tickets online, you must print them; they can be used for one admission on any day. Tickets on mobile phones will not be accepted.
You can drive to the festival which is around 60kms from Melbourne. Alternatively, get on a Lilydale-bound train from Melbourne CBD and alight at Lilydale Station.
There will be a bus charter on the weekends and Public Holidays to make things easy for you. Buses depart Lilydale Station (to meet the train) and deliver you to our door. The cost is just $5pp, and children 16 and under (when accompanied by an adult) ride free.
Hi.
I am planning to visit on 29th March 17 (Wednesday). Will I be able to see any tulips?
How much is the entrance fee?
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Ariani
Hi Ariani,
The tulip festival is not currently running (starts in September). Tulip bulbs are planted in May, so you wont see any tulips at this time. You can however visit the Tesselaar Nursery which is free to enter.
Kind regards,
Jess
Dear Sir/Madam
Do you still have the seniors days on Fridays during the festival.
Regards Sue
Hi Sue,
I got in contact wit the festival organisers and they advised the following: Every Friday Seniors get free tea and coffee. Each Friday has a different theme which continues across the weekend. Turkish/Dutch/Food Wine and Jazz/Irish. They used to have Seniors Week but have since changed it.
They also asked if there was something special about these days you enjoyed? If so they would definitely look at reintroducing it.
You can get in contact with them via their Facebook Page here (send them a private message) or via email here: [email protected]
Kind regards,
Jess
Hi, planning to visit end of January. Will the tulips be full bloom?
Hi there,
No they wont be. As you will be visiting in Australia’s hot summer season, the tulips season has passed. They will be planted around April and in full bloom around September/October (Spring).
Kind regards,
Jess
Hi, can I get to see tulips on 3rd of September 2017? Thanks
Hi Melur,
The tulips will be in full bloom in mid-Spring which will be the end of September/start of October. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival will therefore start around this time.
But you can still visit the nursery on 3 September 2017 as it will be open. You may still be able to see the first blooms coming out around this time.
Best regards,
Jess
Hi, we’re planning to visit on December around Christmas. Would you be opened on Christmas Day? And would there be any special events for family with kids?
Hi Shirley,
Unfortunately the tulip plant shop is closed on Christmas Day. The nursery will be closed from mid-December until late January.
You could head to the Dandenong Ranges National Park for a picnic on Christmas Day. Most other attractions will close (including Puffing Billy and the Rhododendron Gardens).
Best regards,
Jess
Hi there,
My family and I are planning to visit the nursery on 30th May 2017. Can we still see any Tulips in the nursery during that period of time?
Thanks!
Hi Elaine,
Unfortunately, you will be out of luck as the tulip bulbs will only be planted in early May. They will generally be in full bloom in mid-Spring which will be the end of September/start of October.
Best regards,
Jess
Dear sir/madam,
May I know how much is the entrance fee to visit the nursery? After the Tesselaar festival. The above-mentioned entrance fee is for the festival only right? Thanks!
Hi there,
After the festival, entry to the nursery is free. The above page relates to the festival event only.
Regards,
Jess
Hi, can you please tell me whether we are still able to visit and see the tulips at the end of October 2016?
Hi Jessy,
Although the Tesselaar Tulip Festival has finished for 2016, you can still attend the nursery to see the Tulips, although they may not bee in full bloom in late October.
Best regards,
Jess
I am planning to bring overseas visitors to festival on 4th Oct. Is it too late to see flowers?
They are only arriving in Melb on 4th
Hello Kaartyk,
This is a hard question to to answer as it really depends on the weather.
In previous years, the flowers have been in full bloom mostly during the last 2 weeks of September. The Irish portion of the festival runs until 2 October, so you may still have some flowers on the last day.
Perhaps check their Facebook page for live updates, photos etc which will give you up to date information leading up to October 4.
Best regards,
Jess
Hi, can you tell me if the tulips are in bloom already?
Hi Corrie,
There are plenty of red and yellow tulips already in bloom and some purple ones are well on their way! I would give it another week though for the full burst of colour.
Regards,
Jess
As this is my first visit to the Dandenong Ranges, can you please advise how far is it from the Tulip Festival to the National Rhododendron Gardens? Can I get from one place to the other by public transport?
Many thanks. Vivien
Hi Vivien,
The two attractions are around 9kms from each other. Unfortunately, there is no direct public transport between the two attractions, but you can take the bus (with an interchange) which will take about an hour.
Catch a route 663 bus towards Belgrave (the stop is on Monbulk-Seville Rd/Monbulk Rd, Silvan)
Get off at stop Belgrave Railway Station
From Belgrave Railway Station, get on a Route 694 bus towards Mt Dandenong.
Get off at stop Parsons Lane/Monash Ave (Olinda)
Walk approximately 600 metres to the Rhododendron Gardens.
Otherwise, you can call a taxi on 9753 6933 which will be your quickest option (about 15 minutes) and will cost around $25.
Best regards,
Jess
Can you please advise roughly around when is the best time to visit Cherry blossom? thank you!
Hi Vicky,
Of course nature is hard to predict, but typically the best time is during the last three weeks of September – which would make it starting next week!
I would probably wait another week and hopefully they will all be in full bloom by then.
Best regards,
Jess
Could you tell me if you do group bookings and what cost would be for a Probus club? Could you also tell me some places we could eat nearby? Thankyou
Hi Christine,
I recommend you contact the event organisers to see if you can arrange any discounts for your Probus Club. Groups of more than 10 people are listed as being $22, which is the same price for a single concession. So there isn’t really any benefit to organising a group booking if everyone is already entitled to concession pricing.
As for places for lunch, I would head over to Olinda which has a number of cafes and restaurants. The restaurants located near to the festival are restaurants that are open for dinner only, so head over to Olinda where you will find many places offering brunch/lunch as well as coffee and cake.
You can contact the organisers who may be able to mail you some more information on (03) 9737 7722 or email: [email protected].
Enjoy the festival!
Regards,
Jess
If after I go here, then I want to go to Puffing Billy. How do I get there by public transport? Also, how long does it take? Thankyou.
Hi Mandy,
You do not mention where you are travelling from, so I will assume you will be leaving from Melbourne.
Board a Lilydale train from Flinders Street or Southern Cross Station. Get off at Lilydale Station and catch the 663 bus which will take you to the festival. This trip will take approximately 1hr 30 minutes. (Note that if you are attending the festival on a Saturday or Sunday, there will be a shuttle bus waiting at the station to take passengers to the festival so you wont need to take the 663 public bus. The cost of the shuttle is $3.)
You can get to Puffing Billy from the festival by taking a the 663 Lilydale bus from Silvan to Belgrave. This will take approximately 30 minutes.
Enjoy your time in the Dandenong Ranges!
Regards,
Jess
Are the tulips still there after October 4th?
Hi Lea,
After the festival finishes, the location will go back to running as a nursery which is open year round. So yes, you should still be able to see tulips after this date.
Regards,
Jess
Are the tulips still there after festival?(october 14th)
Hi Miza,
No, the tulips wont be there much after the festival. The flowers are de-headed so the bulbs can regenerate for next season. It is best to try and make it to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival as the flowers are in full bloom at this time.
Kind regards,
Jess
Do you have Tulips earlier? If so what is the earliest opportunity to purchase purple Tulips in particular?
Hi Chris,
The Tesselaar Nursery is open year round where you can purchase a variety of bulbs and flowers. Unfortunately, Tulips become in season in Spring, so you will have to wait until September if you want ready grown tulips.
Regards,
Jess
Hi,
As this will be my first time visiting, I was wondering was wonder how I get to Silvan Dam to visit the Tulip Festival in Sept 2016? Can I travel all the way by Puffing Billy? Thanks.
Hi Avis, thanks for your question.
Unfortunately Puffing Billy does not go past Silvan as the track is further south.
However, public transport is available. If you are travelling from Melbourne CBD, go to Flinders Street Station or Southern Cross Station and catch a train on the “Lilydale” line. Get off at the last stop – Lilydale Station (approx 1 hour journey).
In previous years, there have been shuttle buses provided on weekends by the Tesselaar Tulip Festival which took visitors from Lilydale Station out to the festival for a $3 return ticket. During the week, you can also catch the route 663 bus from Lilydale Station which will also take you to the festival. Check closer to the date to see if the shuttle service will be offered in 2016.
Regards,
Jess
Hi, does anyone know what dates the Japanese cherry blossom festival will be on this year?
Hi Belle,
I am not sure why the Cherry Blossom event will still showing on the event calendar since i took it down a while ago.
The event actually hasn’t been held since 2013 and from the feedback i have received, it doesn’t look like it will be held again this year.
This is the message that is on the official event page from last year:
“There will be no Hanami Day event this year, but visitors are encouraged to enjoy the gardens anytime during the cherry blossom flowering season that usually occurs across 2-3 weeks in September”
Thanks
Michael
Hi, could you please tell me what the dates are for this year and if there are any holiday packages available, and if it is for one weekend only.
Can you please send me some information or even a leaflet?
Thank you. Kind Regards,
Jane
Hi Jane,
I have just updated the dates on my website – the Tesselaar Tulip Festival is to be held between 10 Sep – 6 Oct in 2015 (the official website doesn’t have it yet, but it’s on their Facebook page). With the dates as they are, the event runs over the course of 4 weeks and there is a different theme every week.
As lot of other websites have little information on the event until the main website is updated, but i suggest you follow their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tulipfestival and you will be notified of any new developments.
It doesn’t look like there are any official packages available (unless you have more than 10 people, then you can get tickets at $18 instead of $22), and it might be too early to book accommodation (Wotif is only showing dates up until July 31 right now), but here is a link for accommodation for the Dandenong Ranges that you can use closer to the event – Wotif.
Please don’t hesitate to ask any more questions.
Thanks,
Michael
Hi there,
Could You please tell Me what Your “special program for Children” consists of please???
And is there any of that still going on Tomorrow & at what times?
Thanks,
Stewart & Kathy
Hi Stewart & Kathy,
Looking at the event guide, this weekend (3rd – 5th October 2014) is “Irish Weekend” – with Irish entertainment, stalls, food and drinks.
In terms of the entertainment, there is a Celtic band, Irish Pipers and Irish Dancing. For food and drink, they are offering Irish Coffee, Guinness, Kilkenny, Cider, Baked Potatoes, Irish Stew, Sandwiches, pies, sausage rolls, cakes and Irish biscuits. They also have the dutch favourites of Poffertjes, Croquettes, Frikendallen, Reifkoek, Gozleme and Chevap Sausage.
For kids, it is noted that they have the following activities: sculpture exhibit, alpacas, fairy garden, hunt for gnomes, tulip picking, old fashioned Dutch games, historical displays, as well as photo opportunities with Windmills, flowers and staff in traditional Dutch costumes.
I couldn’t find a hourly breakup of the day, but the Festival runs until Sunday from 10am until 5pm.
I hope this helps and have a great weekend – the weather looks good and no mention of rain!
Thanks
Michael