The biggest begonia collection in the Southern Hemisphere hits Ballarat this weekend

This long weekend, Ballarat comes alive with bursts of red, pink, and yellow as the Begonia Festival takes hold of the city. 

What happened: The Ballarat Begonia Festival has been running since 1953, and a total of 10 months each year is dedicated to cultivating the flowers for the event. It’s the rarest collection this half of the globe, and it attracts more than 40,000 visitors annually. 

The sustainable gardener: In recent years, the festival has begun to spotlight responsible gardening, with educational workshops and sustainable garden displays. 

🗣️ “These gardens show how sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromise” City of Ballarat Mayor Tracey Hargreaves said.

•  “It encourages people to think differently about their own spaces and how materials can be reused, how native plants can support wildlife, and how gardens can bring people together.”

Other events dotted around the festival program include: 

🎸 Live music performances 

🌱 The “Garden of Giggles” for all kinds of family fun that involves human-sized bees and kids entertainment 

🌺 Workshops, demonstrations, and informative talks on the Begonia Stage

🎊   The PowerFM Festival parade, featuring an array of community groups 

🎨 A special letters art project on Sturt Street by Wadawurrung artist Jenna Oldaker

🍔 Food trucks throughout the Ballarat Botanical Gardens 

Of course, there’s also the thousands of vibrant flowers in the Robert Clark Conservatory and beyond. 

Head here to learn more about the festival, this year themed as a “Symphony of Begonias” designed to echo a piece of layered, well-composed music.