An hour from Melbourne in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges we discovered just what half a million tulips look like. Spectacular. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival has a 60 year long history of turning a working tulip farm into a major tourist drawcard for the Dandenongs. We visited in children’s week which meant there were enchanting extras that kept the kids interested and entertained.
As we searched for seven lost tulip fairies in the gardens, while the children kept tally of their in order to claim a prize at the end we stumbled across windmills, sculptures, folk in Dutch dress, and a real life fairy asleep in a tree.
The Tesselaar Tulip Festival is clearly very popular with young families and the oldies and was pumping on the day we visited. There are numerous food options including the Dutch favorite, mini pancakes Poffertejes. Space undercover (as you would expect at a tulip festival) is limited so if the weather is patchy do take some rainwear. I was the dodgy mother who had underdressed her children and as a result we left rather muddy and soggy at the end.
Various activities were included with our entry in children’s week including a petting zoo, craft, live entertainers and a wildlife show. Other activities such as face painting, tractor rides and didgeridoo lessons were at extra cost. Not surprisingly though the hero of the festival were the blooms in startling intensities of orange, purple, yellow, red, pink and white.
And the verdict from my sons? “Mum I thought a Tulip Festival just meant staring at girly flowers but that was so much fun.” Happy son and happy mum.
The festival is an annual event held from mid September to early October. This year’s festival is running until the 7th of October. Those of you that are in Melbourne – do try and head to the festival before it closes this year.
Gates are open from 10am-5pm every day during the festival. It is held at the Tulip Farm 357 Monbulk Road Sivan in Victoria.
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