Any excuse to go to the Scenic Rim is good enough for us. The latest excuse was the Kalbar Sunflower Festival. Every year, for a long weekend only, Kalbar welcomes thousands of people to enjoy its incredible display of sunflowers. It doesn’t last long enough and when it is on, it’s a do not miss event for anyone who enjoys the beauty of sunflowers.
One Million sunflowers…
In 2023, some one million sunflowers were planted for the enjoyment of visitors. That’s a lot of sunflowers and it certainly was a magnificent show. From the 10th till the 12th of March 2023, anyone who was lucky enough to get a ticket could come and visit the farm and walk around the huge field of sunflowers. We could stand alongside them, admire them, photograph them, and be photographed with them.
The Maze
The four-acre maze to get lost in was a favourite with many little staged areas set up perfectly for photography!
The mud
The weather was far from perfect, especially on the last day. Thankfully we had Saturday morning tickets and managed to avoid the rain of Sunday afternoon. However, one thing that was unavoidable was the mud! Yes, it sure was muddy!
Note to self for next year, bring gumboots! Although the mud was kind of part of the fun
So much more to do!
You couldn’t get bored at the sunflower festival. There were sunflower painting classes for the artist wannabes, live music, helicopter rides over the sunflowers and lots of stalls selling local products and anything sunflower related. Of course, there was a bar (the Kal-Bar), ice cream vans and many food vendors selling yummy dishes.
The sunset dinners and Long Table lunches sounded and looked amazing… We’ll keep that in mind for next year!
Where is the Kalbar Sunflower Festival?
The Kalbar Sunflower Festival is in the small Scenic Rim town of Kalbar which is about an hour from Brisbane or one and a half hours from the Gold Coast.
The farm is only open once a year during the festival, it is not possible to visit the grounds at any other times. Please respect this, going there at any other times is trespassing on private property.
There’s always next year
If you missed out on this year’s festival, don’t worry, it will be on again next year. The dates for the festival are only released a few weeks in advance. So, make sure to keep a look out on this website early next year. You will be able to sign up for their newsletter to get access to pre-release tickets.
Note: This year’s event was so popular, the tickets sold out in an hour! That’s right, an hour. So, if you are extra keen, be sure to sign up to the newsletter.
Where to stay near Kalbar?
If you are traveling from afar you might want to stay around the area and make a weekend of it. Since the Scenic Rim is such a wonder to explore, it’d be silly not to!
Ketchup Banks Glamping
We stayed at Ketchup’s Bank Glamping. Ketchup’s Bank Glamping offers luxury tent accommodation set in the Australian bush just 15 minutes’ drive from Boonah and 30 minutes from Kalbar. It’s such a lovely setting and waking up to the sound of the wildlife is a bonus. The road to Ketchup’s Bank Glamping is one of a kind, breathtaking views along the way. Find out the latest prices here.
Mt Maroon Farm House Stay
When on the Scenic Rim, we normally stay at the Mt Maroon Farm House Stay but when we tried this time it was fully booked. It’s our favourite place in the Scenic Rim as it offers the most amazing views you can ask for. Topped with two friendly horses as your neighbours, a fire pit, pizza oven and even an indoor fireplace for winter. It’s bliss! It’s located about 25 minutes drive from Kalbar. Find out the latest prices here.
Milford Country Cottages
Milford Country Cottages are situated in a very picturesque part of the Scenic Rim, fifteen minutes from Kalbar. The mountains views are exceptional. Find out the latest prices here.
Hideaway on Hume
Hideaway on Hume is situated in Boonah, 10 minutes from Kalbar. There is a terrace and guests can make use of free WiFi and free private parking. Find out the latest prices here.
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