Best Places in Sydney to go for Autumn Colours

Sydney is a gorgeous evergreen city all year round – so when autumn comes around you’ll want to know our secret spots for a taste of a northern hemisphere autumn foliage bursts of gold and reds. We love that the autumn cool is pleasant weather to linger around the Sydney gardens or parks to give the little ones a crunching sensory experience almost any time of the day. We hunted down the best spots for your kids to delight in the changing colours of autumn, or just kick some leaves.

Royal Botanic Garden

Mrs Macquarie’s Road, Sydney NSW. Open daily. Free
The Royal Botanic Gardens really is the most beautiful spot to while away as much or as little time as you choose. It’s the perfect place to stop and recharge when you’ve been out and about with your kids in the city. There is something otherworldly about the space and while the kids are still young enough to believe in fairies, it is a magical place for them to play and let their imaginations run wild.

Centennial Parklands

Open daily. Free
We love the amazing colours Centennial Park that comes alive when autumns is in full swing. The southern side of the Duck Pond bursts into a spectacular sights of red, yellow and orange leaves. Now this is the place to kick leaves! Also a gorgeous sight are the the Tibouchina or Lasiandra trees around the parklands, easily recognisable by their full bursts of purple flowers in the autumn months. Fearnley Grounds offers everything families needs: food, bikes, cycle tracks, toilets just to name a few. There is also heaps of fun activities and workshops for kids during their Autumn program. 

Auburn Botanic Gardens

96 Chiswick Rd, Auburn NSW. Open daily. Adults $4-$5. Children and Auburn residents free.
This little known botanic gardens located 20 mins West of the CBD hosts an annual Autumn Colours Festival in late May. The bustling family-friendly event showcases the beautiful Auburn Botanic Gardens at its most colourful, spectacular best with heaps of children’s activities, a unique art exhibition, market stalls, assorted food stalls and a jumping castle for the kids to bounce whilst parents relax in the lovely garden setting. All year round, the Auburn Botanic Gardens is also a great place for the kids to explore and find the creatures of the rainforest, a jolly swagman at the billabong and meet kangaroos, wallabies and emus at the Fauna Reserve.

Camellia Gardens

104R President Avenue, Caringbah South NSW
Located in Caringbah and overlooking the gorgeous Yowie Bay, the Camellia Gardens is absolutely stunning in autumn when the camellia flowers are in bloom. The beautiful Camellia gardens Teahouse overlooks the Camellia Gardens which is the perfect location for Devonshire tea, high tea, breakfast or lunch.

Wahroonga Park

Coonanbarra Road, Wahroonga NSW
A small but truly loved park, Wahroonga Park is the North Shore mums special beautiful spacious oasis that’s accessible in the heart of Wahroonga village. The recently upgraded playground has given mums the opportunity to sit back and let the kids entertain themselves – from toddlers to tweens. When autumn arrives, sections of this park near Wahroonga Station where the azaleas are planted transforms into a magical array of reds.

Rumsey Rose Garden

Corner of Pitt St and Macquarie St, Parramatta NSW
The Rumsey Heritage Rose Garden is a beautiful municipal heritage rose garden within Parramatta Park. It is a unique garden featuring over 500 species of roses donated by the Rumsey family and a few deciduous trees that creates a golden atmosphere to the gardens in autumn.

Cattai National Park

Off Wisemans Ferry Road, Hawkesbury River region
On the south banks of the Hawkesbury River, the Cattai National Park is a large area with many picnic shelters and woodfire barbecue areas. This would be a great place for families with older kids, as the surrounding area is perfect for outdoor activities like waterskiing, wakeboarding, canoeing, space for the kids to run around and ride their bikes or even spend a weekend family camping. In May, the campsite is a carpet of autumn leaves with such a dreamy atmosphere. The Hawkesbury becomes a gorgeous kaleidoscope of colour from deep reds to golden yellows from the plane and maple trees scattered along the banks of the river.

Further Afield

Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens, Mount Tomah Behold a dazzling display as trees are set ablaze with red, orange and gold.The autumn display is one of the most popular for the Blue Mountains region and this year’s optimal conditions – a combination of warm days and cool nights – have resulted in an especially dramatic show of colour. In 2018, visitors should drop in during May, before the leaves fall down! Visitors are urged to check out the Plant Explorers Walk, Brunet Garden, the Formal Garden, and the trees near the Visitor Centre for extra special displays. 

Southern Highlands – Less than 2 hours drive away, Bowral comes alive with autumn foliage as many of the village’s deciduous trees were planted around the late 1800s in an effort to make Bowral look more like England. In autumn, the deciduous trees and shrubs around Buskers End at St Clair Street and oaks in Station Street create a brilliant display worth travelling.