Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Day Tours
A day of beautiful gardens, good company and memories that bloom. We all leave together from Currimundi at 6:00am, with two drivers, lunch supplied, and no driving, no parking and no map reading for you.
Queensland’s most colourful event
Now in its 77th year, the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is the longest-running floral festival in Australia. For three weeks the Garden City puts on close to 40 million blooms across its parks, private gardens and streetscapes.
The big public displays are in Queens Park Botanic Gardens and Laurel Bank Park, and they are free to wander through. The gardens that really surprise people are the private ones – prize-winning backyards opened to the public for the carnival, and exactly the sort of place that is hard to find and harder to park near if you are driving yourself.
- Roughly a two-hour drive each way – we do the driving
- Comfort and coffee stop at Esk on the way over
- Council parks in the morning, private gardens in the afternoon
- Home by early evening
Choose your adventure
Both options are fully chauffeured and both include the same gardens – the difference is simply who you share the day with.
Meet new friends – Group Tour
Grab one of just 10 seats and share the day with other garden lovers. $250 per person, all-inclusive – transport all day plus lunch. Seats are limited and they do sell out.
BYO friends – Private Charter
Get a group of up to 6 together and have the day to yourselves in one of our luxury vehicles, shaped around what your group wants to see. Price on application.
What the day actually looks like
6:00am – we all leave from Currimundi
Everyone meets at our place in Currimundi and we head off together at 6:00am sharp. Keeping one departure point rather than criss-crossing the Coast is what buys us the extra time in the gardens. There is a comfort stop and coffee at Esk to break up the drive.
Morning – explore the Garden City
Time in Toowoomba’s Council parks while the light is still soft and the crowds are thinner. This is where the headline displays are.
Lunch, and a rest for the legs
A proper break to recharge. In past years guests have enjoyed a Subway platter – easy to eat as you wander around the park rather than being stuck at a table.
Afternoon – prize-winning private gardens
The part most people remember: private gardens opened up for the carnival, until around 3:30 to 4:00pm. Then we drive you home.
No driving, no parking, no missing the good ones
The carnival is a two-hour drive from the Coast, the parking near the best gardens is genuinely difficult, and the private gardens are scattered around town rather than clustered together. Doing it yourself usually means a long day at the wheel and seeing less than you hoped.
We have been running this trip for years. Tony knows which gardens are worth the stop and in what order to do them, so the day flows instead of being spent looking for a park.
- Two drivers – Tony and Leigh both come, so the long day is shared
- Lunch supplied – no queueing at a food van
- Ample room for any plants you buy and take home
- Accredited passenger transport operator (Q900531055)
- Aged care and assisted transport experience – tell us your needs
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers in 2026?
The 2026 Carnival runs from Thursday 18 September to Sunday 5 October – its 77th year, and the longest-running floral festival in Australia.
What dates do your tours run?
We go up on set dates across the carnival, and which dates we run depends on bookings – we confirm a date once we have the numbers for it. So tell us the dates that suit you when you enquire and we will match you to a trip, or open one up if there is enough interest.
What is included in the $250 per person?
Chauffeured return transport from the Sunshine Coast for the whole day, and lunch. There is no extra charge for entry to the Council parks – those displays are free to walk through.
Where does the tour leave from?
We all leave together from our place at Currimundi at 6:00am. This one is different to our usual transfers – there is no door-to-door pick-up for the carnival tour. Collecting everyone individually across the Coast costs us an hour or more, and that hour is far better spent in the gardens. You are welcome to park at ours for the day. Full address comes with your booking.
How long is the day?
It is a full day – we leave Currimundi at 6:00am and the private gardens run until around 3:30 to 4:00pm before we head home. There is a comfort and coffee stop at Esk each way. Tony and Leigh share the driving, which is exactly why we do it with two drivers.
Can I buy plants and bring them back?
Yes – and people do. There is ample room in our vehicles for whatever you pick up along the way.
Can I book the whole vehicle for my own group?
Yes. Our Private Charter option takes up to 6 people in one of our luxury vehicles, with the day shaped around your group – including where you leave from. Pricing is on application, so tell us your numbers and we will quote it.
Is the tour suitable if I do not walk far?
Talk to us before you book. We also run aged care and assisted transport, so we are used to planning around mobility needs and we can tell you honestly how much walking each garden involves. Do keep in mind you will need to make your own way to Currimundi for the 6:00am start.
Seats are limited and sell out fast
Tell us your preferred dates and how many are coming, and we will confirm availability and lock in your seats.
