Our top five autumn colour filled drives
Australia’s evergreen native trees don’t usually turn on spectacular autumn colours but that doesn’t mean there aren’t pockets of imported deciduous trees that blaze golden and red.If you’re up for a colourful drive heading into the colder months, here are some suggestions from around Australia.
Bright, Victoria
A high altitude plus wet and frosty winters make Bright in Victoria’s north-east the perfect environment for deciduous trees. In autumn the golden and claret ashes, liquid ambers, maple and poplars in the public gardens and streets go crazy with colours – even the grape vines get in on the act. It’s such a riot of colour the townsfolk have started an autumn festival. There’s a market, bush dance, huge parade and nut festival, and the Open Gardens scheme allows access to 17 private autumnal gardens.
Bowral, NSW
When Sydney’s leisure classes started travelling to Bowral in the Southern Highlands during the boom of the late 19th century they brought with them plenty of exotic plants (such as golden elm, copper beech and tulip trees) to remind them of England. Today, those trees are big and in autumn, very colourful. There are street plantings, of course, or visit the botanic gardens. In late April a number of private gardens fling their gates open for the Autumn Garden Weekend. Or pop into Milton Park for its spectacular mature trees and maybe stay for lunch, high tea in the Orangery or even spend the night.
Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
As well as convicts, many English seedlings were deported to the Apple Isle and Hobart, Richmond, Launceston and many other country villages blaze with colour in autumn. But if you drive to Cradle Mountain on the west coast you’ll see an unusual native tree that does the same. It’s the deciduous beech, or Nothofagus gunnii; an ancient, twisted tree found only in Tasmania that turns red, yellow and russet after about Anzac Day. Take the two hour Dove Lake Circuit for plenty of colour in a spectacular landscape and, if you time it right, you’ll get to see what locals call the ‘turning of the fagus’.
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, SA
Adelaide’s hot summers and sparse soil make it perfect for towering eucalypts, but deciduous trees? Not so much. Drive into the Adelaide hills, however, and the cooler climate means autumn colours are more common and not just in the gorgeous vineyards. Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, for instance, has abundant oak, maple and elm trees and the liquid ambers go a beautiful red. Wander the trails, maybe take a picnic and make a great day of it.
Roleystone, WA
It’s only a 45 minute drive south-west from Perth and in autumn Roleystone has a unique attraction: the autumn colours at Raeburn Orchards. A family business since 1948, Raeburn is always a nice place to visit but in autumn the persimmon and apple trees turn on the colour for some great photo opportunities. It’s a lovely part of the world, a chance for the kids to get some fresh air and you can even take home plenty of fruit.
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