Tulips in Tasmania – Everything you need to know
If you are in search of tulips, Tasmania is the place to be!
Table Cape Tulip Farm Tasmania is the best place to see tulips in Tasmania – but there are some tips and tricks you need for the perfect day out, including the best tulip festival in Tasmania!
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Best time of year to see tulips in Tasmania
It only happens once a year, but when the tulips start flowering during September and October the tiny town of Wynyard and nearby Table Cape become Tasmania’s hottest destinations!
The rainbow of colours is breathtaking, but the tulip season in Tasmania only lasts for 4 weeks – from late September to late October – so you need to plan your tulip farm Tasmania visit wisely.
If you want to see the tulips at their pristine best, the second week of October is when you should visit.
Where to see tulips in Tasmania
Without a doubt, the best place to see tulips in Tasmania has got to be Table Cape Tulip Farm.
You can’t miss Table Cape as you approach the northern outskirts of Wynyard on Tassie’s Cradle Coast. From the cold, tumultuous waters of Bass Strait its cliffs soar more than 180m into the sky to a flat-topped ‘table’ of gently undulating fields and a carpet of tulips – pure magic!
Its terrain might not be as spectacular as the iconic ‘Nut’ at Stanley (just a 45 minute drive up the road), but the similarities are striking. And that is because Table Cape is also the remains of an ancient volcano crater.
The volcanic soils are some of the most fertile in Tasmania, making it ideal for growing tulips – as the Roberts-Thomson family have done for more than 30 years at Table Cape Tulips Farm.
In fact, the Tasmanian tulips grown at Table Cape are such high quality that they even sell them back to the Netherlands, the home of the tulip – can you believe that?!
It’s a shame that tulips only flower for such a short time, but when they do they are bloomin’ marvelous – and you can’t get a better backdrop than Table Cape.
From a distance it’s like a patchwork quilt, but up close you start to see row upon row of colour stretching to the horizon. Look closely and you might even spy an ‘imposter’ tulip, with a different colour to the rest – it’s like finding a four-leaf clover!
Tips for the perfect tulip photo
- Table Cape Lighthouse looks fantastic if you can position it as the backdrop to your photos
- Try to get your camera down low for a different perspective and make the most of the ‘leading lines’ created by the rows of colour
- Pro Tip – If you have an SLR camera, set your f-stop to f2.8, focus on the petals of a single tulip, and use the wide aperture and fields of colour in the background to create glowing pink, white and yellow bokeh
How to get to Table Cape Tulip Farm
Getting to Table Cape Tulip Farm is very easy from Launceston, Devonport, Wynyard and Stanley. See my map below for the best routes.
Allow the following driving times:
- From Launceston – 2 hrs by car (2hrs 30mins for larger vehicles)
- From Devonport – 1 hr by car (1hr 30min for larger vehicles
- From Wynyard – 10 minutes
- From Stanley – 45 minutes by car (1hr for larger vehicles)
- From Hobart – Allow between 4 to 4.5hrs if you’re driving non-stop, but I recommend allowing another hour or two so you can make some stops along the way
How much does it cost to see the tulips in Tasmania?
Considering how unique it is to see tulips in Tasmania and in such a beautiful location, I feel the entry fees are great value:
- Adults – $17
- Concession – $15
- Children (6-17yrs) – $3
- Children under 6 – FREE
Table Cape Tulip Farm opens their gates from 9am to 5pm daily, from 26 September to late October – the absolute best time to see the tulips in Tasmania is in the second week of October.
Outside these dates the farm is closed to the public. Bulb sales are possible, but contact them before visiting as they may not be in the office.
To stay up to date for opening days and times for the coming tulip season, follow their official Facebook page here.
What to wear at Table Cape Tulip Farm Tasmania
If the weather is perfect then anything goes, but if it has rained, or rain is forecast, then you’ll appreciate a pair of sturdy shoes with a closed toe.
The soil at Table Cape is extremely dark and rich, and all it takes is a little bit of water to turn it into sticky mud. Not everyone travels with a pair of gumboots, but if you have them then I definitely recommend taking them with you. And don’t forget to pack a large plastic bag in the boot/trunk of your car to store your muddy shoes afterwards.
Food, facilities, and other things to do
Toilets are available at the farm, and there is a small gift shop and cafe on site where you can soak up the views and sip on a hot coffee or enjoy a Devonshire Tea before picking up a souvenir of your time on ‘the Cape’.
There is plenty of parking available for cars and vans.
Other activities in the nearby area include
- Seeing Table Cape Lighthouse
- Soaking up the views from Table Cape Lookout
- Bushwalking at Rocky Cape National Park [click here to learn more]
- A day trip to the ‘Nut‘ at Stanley
- Feeling the sand between your toes at Fossil Bluff
Read More: Click here to read my Cradle Coast Road Trip Guide
Where to stay to see the tulips
If you are looking for accommodation that is close to Table Cape Tulip Farm you will be pleased to know there are plenty of good accommodation options in nearby Wynyard.
My wife and I loved spending a weekend at the gorgeously designed Coastal Pods Wynyard (perfect for couples), while families will enjoy Leisure Ville Holiday Centre, complete with heated pool, games room and kids playground.
Wynyard Tulip Festival Tasmania
With such a colourful display right on their doorstep it is no surprise that the town of Wynyard celebrates with a festival at the same time – Wynyard Tulip Festival Tasmania – saying goodbye winter and hello spring!
There is plenty happening throughout October – including Tunes in the Tulips music festival on 5 October and the Kids On the Cape Fun Run on 3 October – but the main festival on Saturday, 11 October 2025 is the biggest and best event.
Throughout the day you’ll be thoroughly swept up shows and activities such as BMX Stunt Shows, Swordfighter demonstrations, helicopter rides, and laser tag – with many being completely free. The Foreshore Market is always a good place to taste some of the Cradle Coast’s best produce. Music, stilt-walkers, dancing and plenty of activities are always on the go for the kids, and you’ll love the evening fireworks that bring the day to a close.
You can find out more on their website here, especially closer to the date as stallholders are locked in and more information is released.
Date: Saturday, 11 October 2025
Cost: Free!
Location: Various locations along the Wynyard waterfront, centred around Gutteridge Gardens.
Tunes in the Tulips
If it wasn’t enough to have 3 weeks of festivities and a farm full of tulips, Table Cape Tulip Farm also puts on a wonderful day full of music called ‘Tunes in the Tulips‘.
Every year it keeps getting better and better, and this year you can expect more of the same, with eclectic, foot-stomping live music, delicious local food, and plenty of family-friendly activities (plus entry to the Tulip Farm).
With a million tulips as the backdrop, what’s not to love?
- Adults – $32
- Children (6-17) – $16
- Children (0-5) – FREE
Date: 6 October 2024
Time: 2pm to 5:30pm
Tickets: Click Here
Location: Table Cape Tulip Farm
Where to find tulips in Hobart
Sometimes it simply isn’t possible to make the 4-hour journey all the way from Hobart up to Wynyard to see the tulips.
The good news is that you can still experience the rainbow of colours in Hobart!
The Royal Tasmanian Botanic Gardens are one of my favourite places to spend a lazy afternoon, and in late September you’ll find plenty of tulips in full bloom – for some reason they seem to bloom a little earlier than up north.
Entry is free, and the lawns are a wonderful place to spread a blanket and enjoy a picnic.
Location: Lower Domain Rd, Hobart
Hours: May-Sept from 8am to 5pm | Oct-Apr from 8am to 6:30pm
Coal River ‘Tulip Roof’
Have you ever heard of a ‘tulip roof’ before?
Me neither!
It was while driving into Hobart one September morning that I looked through the gates of Frankham Figs and, to my surprise, saw that they had grown a garden of bright red tulips on top of their roof!!
This wasn’t a once-off either, as they have reappeared every year since. They are very easy to find – just keep your eyes open as you drive from Hobart to Richmond Village. Frankham Figs are located on the left hand side, just before you get to the Dulcot turn-off.
Why not pick up some of their tasty fruits while you’re there as well?
Cost: FREE
Times: September and October, any time
Location: 1 Boyes Street, Dulcot
Final thoughts on tulips in Tasmania…
I hope you have found this guide useful in planning your Tasmania road trip holiday – especially if you have dreams of seeing Tassie’s tulip fields in full bloom!
Please don’t stress if you’re not going to be in Tasmania in September or October. If you are visiting in December or January then instead of tulips you can look forward to seeing row upon row of gorgeous lavender in plenty of places around the island. My Lavender Guide has everything you need to know.
For plenty more articles like this please keep browsing the website. Or visit our Facebook group to share your tulip photos and get free travel tips and advice from fellow road trippers!
Happy travels,
Andrew.