10 Best Places to See Autumn Leaves in Australia (Best Time & Foliage Map)

1. Blue Mountains, NSW

Just an hour’s drive west of Sydney, the Blue Mountains are the first place you should visit to get your fill of red and gold this autumn. Autumn is great weather for camping in the Blue Mountains if you want to make a weekend of it. From Leura and Blackheath to Wentworth Falls and Mt Wilson, the Blue Mountains have a spot for everyone and an autumn festival to top it all off. We also highly recommend dropping into Wild Wood Garden for your autumn Insta snaps. 

If you feel like a drive along Bells Line of Road be sure to visit Mt Tomah botanic gardens, or Breenhold Gardens at Mt Wilson.

If you’re not from Sydney and are coming from far away, you might need to rent a car before starting this trip. We suggest browsing Avis Australia as it is the world's largest car rental company.

Alternatively, you can also rent a motorhome or RV from Auto Europe which has a huge selection of options available.

Renting a car on Avis Australia through Extrabux, and don't forget to sign up at Extrabux (What is Extrabux?) , then you can get up to 8% super cashback from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get $20 welcome bonus!

2. Orange, NSW

Lauded as the ‘colour city’ thanks to its vivid sights and golden poplars, Orange is the place to be for streets of ash, oak, and maple. The name ‘Orange’ is a nod to the city’s Dutch connection but, fittingly, every autumn swathes of gold and bronze poplars line the streets. Once you’ve admired the city’s 40 vineyards, head to Lake Conolas or go apple-picking in the local orchards. Continue with the colourful theme by checking into the five-acre Melview Gardens. In addition, you should visit a winery or two, sit back and watch the next best display of colour since Sydney's neon-soaked Vivid Festival. If you’re not keen on the 3.5-hour drive to Orange, you could take the XPT from Central station.

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3. Southern Highlands, NSW

The Southern Highlands are beautiful at the worst of times, but autumn turns the region into one of the most picturesque on the planet. Bowral in general is a fantastic spot to watch foliage turn, but Moidart stands out as one of the best gardens in the region, which has acres of mature trees including red oaks, golden elms, plane trees, copper beech and tulip trees, all of which change dramatically during autumn. Five acres of rare plant varieties become even more amazing in autumn, and you’ll be able to see some trees here you won’t see anywhere else. 

As well as Bowral town the surrounding gardens are worth wandering through, with lots of deciduous trees lining their trails. The region is also home to wineries, hikes, and deep valleys and campgrounds to the east (Bungonia national park is worth a visit). The Bowral Autumn Music festival is also worth attending if you’re a fan of classical music – it happens at the end of March each year.

4. Alpine High Country, VIC

The Alpine High Country is the perfect spot to take in autumn, with an embarrassment of riches as far as autumn leaves go. The cooler regions are the natural home of deciduous trees after all, and towns like Beechworth, Harrietville, Yackandandah, and Bright each offer tasty fodder for autumn photographers and picnickers.

For a more immersive autumn experience, the Bright Autumn Festival happens at the end of April and the start of May. It’s a 10 day celebration of the incredible autumn colours the town is famous for. During the festival, you can take in the 17 gardens on offer in the region, some of which are well-established, and others which are just putting their roots down. Most are free to visit, although some do require a gold coin donation.

5. Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens, VIC

Named after Alfred Nicholas, the man who co-developed the Aspro painkiller, the gardens were established in 1933. Just an hour from the centre of Melbourne, the villages atop the ranges are surrounded by gardens, each with its own peak time each year. One of the most well-known gardens in Australia, the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens has got every season covered. In spring it comes alive with cherry trees and azaleas, but in autumn it’s the bright red and orange leaves that get tree lovers excited.

Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens have a wonderful mix of native evergreens and introduced deciduous trees that create a full spectrum of colour between March and May. The gardens are now run by a trust and entry is free, though donations are welcome.

The park is open from 10am to 5pm every day and is covered in linking paths so you can wander and explore til your heart’s content. Alongside the gorgeous foliage there’s a lake and a boathouse – perfect for picnics.

6. Gardens of Tieve Tara, VIC

After the establishment of the original garden in the 1860s Mother Nature rewrote Tieve Tara’s story not once but twice with fires destroying the gardens in 1962 and 1983. Since then the 7.5 acre property has become an abundantly fertile sanctuary where Toulouse geese and wild ducks bathe in the lakes, while sparkling foundations adorn the grounds. Particularly striking in autumn, the Virginia creepers, maples and pin oaks colour the gardens.

7. Mount Field National Park, TAS

There are a number of species mentioned regularly in discussions of autumn foliage: beeches, elms and oaks among them. Not quite so well known is the fagus or tanglefoot. This is, in fact, the only native deciduous tree in Australia and it grows in only two places: Mount Field National Park, about 70 kilometres from Hobart, and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. 

Mount Field National Park is one of the biggest in Tasmania and offers an unprecedented variety of vegetation and plenty of wildlife spotting moments. If you’re lucky you might even see some endangered species, like the eastern quoll or the eastern barred bandicoot.

The park is also home to the stunning Russell Falls, which were featured on Australia’s first stamp, as well as some of the world’s tallest trees and an enormous fern forest. Autumn is the best time to catch the trees turn and see the park in its boldest colour, but in winter you can even go skiing in the park.

8. Mount Lofty Botanical Gardens, South Australia

One of the best places in South Australia to watch the leaves turn, Mount Lofty puts on a spectacular show across its 97 hectares. Close to Adelaide are the Mount Lofty Botanical Gardens, and at autumn they absolutely shine, as entire sections of canopy turn a fiery red and orange. On a fine day, enjoy a picnic under the dappled autumn sun before taking in the view from the Mount Lofty Summit.

There are a wide variety of trails across the park, and every Thursday there are free guided walks. You can explore the Lakeside Trail, taking in the garden’s Main Lake and eight plant-themed artworks, or go through the Valley View walk, laying the entire park out below you for maximum foliage viewing.

9. Hahndorf, South Australia

Still in the Adelaide Hills, Hahndorf is a traditional German town that features on every tourist trail through the Adelaide Hills… for good reason. In any season, Hahndorf offers visitors an experience of the Hills like no other.

But through autumn, the main street is an explosion of colour, the reds and oranges reminiscent of the colours of the German flag. It’s a real sight to see, especially while enjoying a stein and schnitzel on the balcony of one of the local pubs.

10. Toowoomba, Queensland

One of the best things about Toowoomba is its autumn season, which sees the country’s famous Garden City take on rich shades of red, orange and yellow across all its picturesque parks, gardens and natural attractions.

With autumn’s cooler temperatures on your side, enjoy the perfect day out in Toowoomba visiting its must-visit gardens and national parks, such as Queens Park, the Japanese Gardens, Boyce Gardens, Laurel Bank Park, Lockyer National Park and more. These stunning parks come to life each autumn – just don’t forget to pack a picnic!

Toowoomba is at its most colourful during autumn! The trees and gardens blush with shades of red, orange and yellow, the lawns become greener and the crisp autumn leaves fall and scatter across the grass, making the Garden City appear even more vivid than during the summer months.

For nature lovers, picnickers and, of course, those who cherish the wistfulness and serenity of the autumn season, Toowoomba’s autumn is an experience that shouldn’t be missed, which delivers a brightly coloured appearance citywide with a warm, laid-back feel that makes it the perfect season to visit and discover what Toowoomba is all about.

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