There is something magical, and maybe even cathartic, about watching our landscapes take on rusty, auburn hues as nature ushers in autumn after a long summer. Here we explore the best places to see our sunburnt country blush into autumn.
New South Wales
Known as New South Wales’s ‘colour city’, Orange’s deciduous poplar trees dotted throughout the region burst into glorious shades of amber as March spills into April. Days may shorten and temperatures may dip, but this is a small price to pay for the bright, crisp blue skies and golden leaves that come with an Orange autumn.
Queensland
You’ll be hard-pressed to find crunchy, tawny-coloured leaves in tropical Queensland, but down south in the state’s premier wine country, the Granite Belt enjoys a magical, rosy autumn each year. April carpets the Granite Belt’s main town of Stanthorpe with yellow, ruby and bronze foliage.
South Australia
Each year, autumn sets the Adelaide Hills region ablaze with deep red and burnt-yellow hues, and the Mount Lofty treetops are an especially magnificent sight to behold. While away hours in the postcard-perfect Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens, the sprawling, manicured grounds of which are the pride of the region. There are more than 97 hectares of gardens, lakes and gullies to explore, and there is no better time to do so than in autumn.
Tasmania
Observing the ‘Turning of the Fagus’ is a time-honoured tradition in Tasmania, the only place in the world where this particular variety of beech tree grows. Each year from late April to early May, visitors flock to Cradle Mountain National Park to witness the tree’s green foliage transform into shades of scarlet and gold, as tumbling leaves blanket the park’s rolling hills.
Victoria
Painting-perfect vistas are a staple of autumn in Victoria’s countryside. For the most spectacular autumn colours, make your way to the sleepy town of Bright in Victoria’s High Country. Bright’s patchwork countryside transforms into a kaleidoscope of amber-yellow, ruby-red and deep brown hues each year.
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