The Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival 2019
The Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival is open from the 17th August to the 25th of August. It’s one of the busiest parks in Australia during this period, with thousands of people streaming through it every day. Located in western Sydney in the Auburn Botanic Gardens, the cherry blossom festival is a great place to get photos with cherry blossoms and Japanese style gardens. There’s even an animal exhibit to see, and food stalls to visit so there’s plenty to do for everyone.
The Auburn Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden is a centrepiece of the Cherry Blossom Festival and of Auburn Botanic Gardens. There’s a set path with signage that you’re supposed to take around the garden, this is to help with the flow of tourism. If you don’t like crowds much, avoid going on weekends if possible. We went on a Tuesday, which even then was quite busy.
Taking Portraits with the Cherry Blossoms
It can be difficult to navigate the crowds, but it is possible to get some nice portraits here. Whether you’re after a selfie or a dramatic cherry blossom shoot, it’s all possible here. Keep an eye on the lighting – avoid harsh light because the shadows will ruin the portrait.
Macro Photography of Cherry Blossoms
Here are some photos of a bee gathering pollen from the blossoms.
Animals in the Auburn Botanic Gardens
There are a few native animals to meet in the Auburn Botanic Gardens, including a variety of famous ones like emus, wombats and wallabies. There are plenty of birds around, some native ones and plenty of pigeons. The bird feeding near the lake makes for quite the spectacle!
Where to eat in the Auburn Botanic Gardens
During the Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival, there are a variety of stalls to get food from. We had turkish gozleme, a hot dog and some loaded fries. There’s also some stalls where you can buy a variety of native seedlings to take home and plant.
Parking at the Auburn Botanic Gardens
There are a few options for parking at the Auburn Botanic Gardens. The Gardens have an official carpark which is easy to find by navigating to the entrance. On busy days, such as the weekend, there is alsoan overflow carpark. It can be a little confusing, so thankfully there will be staff around to direct you. If you don’t mind walking I would even suggest parking in one of the nearby suburban streets, as this may be less of a hassle.
More Cherry Blossoms
Want more cherry blossoms? There are more to see in Canberra. Check out my blogpost about the cherry blossoms in Canberra, at the Canberra Beijing Gardens.
Location
About me
Hi there! I’m Noah and you’ve found my travel blog. I love roadtrips, photography and nature. Follow @zeebachi on instagram to keep up with my latest travels!