We are a not-for-profit organisation. Your donation supports the conservation of this World Heritage site
Help protect this UNESCO site
Two garden festivals, two November weekends in Longford, 20 minutes from Launceston: Longford Blooms on 14 and 15 November, and the Festival of Roses at Woolmers Estate on Sunday 22 November.
Longford, Tasmania
This November, Longford spends two weekends in bloom. The annual Longford Blooms Open Garden Festival & Rare Plant Fair opens the town’s private gardens on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, and the annual Festival of Roses follows on Sunday 22 November at Woolmers Estate, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the expansive Rose Garden celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Longford sits 20 minutes from Launceston and 15 minutes from Launceston Airport, so either festival makes an easy day out. Plan a longer stay and you can enjoy both, with the Northern Midlands at its greenest in between.
When: Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026, 10am to 4pm
Where: Private gardens across Longford, Tasmania
Tickets: From $15, book through Longford Blooms
Each year in mid-November, Longford opens its garden gates for two days. You move between private gardens at your own pace, from formal gardens behind historic homes to cottage gardens filled with roses and perennials, each one a glimpse of how the town lives and grows.
Every garden hosts stalls selling rare and unusual plants, so bring a basket and leave room in the car. Food vans gather on the Village Green, Adams Distillery pours gin tastings, and Longford’s cafes and pubs are open across the weekend. Proceeds from ticket sales support The Helping Hand Longford and the Care For Africa Foundation.
Best for: rose lovers, families, a day among the blooms
When: Sunday 22 November 2026, 10am to 4pm
Where: Woolmers Estate, 658 Woolmers Lane, Longford, Tasmania
Tickets: $15 per person, the same price online and at the gate. Book your Festival of Roses tickets
Twenty-five years ago, the first roses went into the ground where the estate’s old apple orchard once stood. Today the Rose Garden covers 1.53 hectares, with more than 3,000 roses across approximately 350 varieties, and the festival is held annually in late November, when the garden reaches full bloom.
Your Festival of Roses ticket opens the whole estate for the day. Wander the Rose Garden and the grounds, explore the 18 original buildings of Woolmers, and follow the Market Trail of local makers set among the roses. Live music carries through the day, including musicians from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
Woolmers Estate is operated by the not-for-profit Woolmers Foundation, and every Festival of Roses ticket supports the conservation of the gardens across the estate.
Optional experiences, each at an additional cost
Tickets are the same price online and at the gate, but booking online gives you early access to the add-on experiences, several of which have limited numbers.
Distance: 2.8km Convict Farm Walk between the estates
Tickets: General Admission from $49 adult covers Brickendon Estate and Woolmers Estate
Please note: Brickendon Estate is not included in the Festival of Roses ticket
Brickendon Estate and Woolmers Estate are jointly inscribed as one of Australia’s 11 UNESCO World Heritage Convict Sites, linked by the 2.8km Convict Farm Walk and the suspension bridge over the Macquarie River. A General Admission ticket covers both estates, so plan a full day for each.
Best for: a long weekend in Northern Tasmania
The Tamar Valley wineries, Cataract Gorge and the caves at Mole Creek are all within an easy drive of Longford, making it a natural base for a November long weekend in Northern Tasmania.
Roses wait for no one, and the Festival of Roses comes once a year. Book your Festival of Roses tickets, reserve a heritage cottage, and see the Longford Blooms program.
“Woolmers really is the jewel in the crown of heritage properties in Australia, a must see.”
The estate’s six heritage cottages sit inside the estate itself, with Devonshire tea on arrival, a continental breakfast and after-hours access to the estate and Rose Garden once the day visitors have gone. Evening light across 3,000 roses is reason enough to stay.
Star Ratings Australia 2026 Gold List. Voted by Travellers.
Longford Blooms Open Garden Festival & Rare Plant Fair is held annually in mid-November, and the Festival of Roses at Woolmers Estate is held annually in late November, when the Rose Garden is in full bloom. In 2026, Longford Blooms runs on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, and the Festival of Roses is on Sunday 22 November, both 10am to 4pm.
The Festival of Roses is held every year in late November. The 2026 festival is on Sunday 22 November. Dates for 2027 will be announced on the Woolmers Estate What’s On page and social channels.
No, they are separate festivals with separate tickets. Longford Blooms opens private gardens across town, while the Festival of Roses is held at Woolmers Estate.
Longford is 20 minutes from Launceston, 15 minutes from Launceston Airport and about an hour from the Spirit of Tasmania terminal in Devonport.
General admission is $15 per person, the same price for adults and children, online or at the gate. Booking online gives you early access to the optional experiences, such as Garden Walks & Talks, Woolmers House tours, Devonshire tea, gin tastings and wine and cheese platters, which are an additional cost and have limited numbers.
No. The Festival of Roses ticket covers Woolmers Estate on festival day. To explore Brickendon Estate and walk the Convict Farm Walk, book General Admission for another day of your stay, which covers both estates.
Dogs are not permitted at the Festival of Roses.
The Rose Garden flowers from October, often into autumn, and the Festival of Roses is timed for full bloom in late November.
Yes, free on-site parking is available, including for caravans and motorhomes.
Comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat and sunscreen, as both festivals are mostly outdoors and Tasmania’s November sun is strong. If you’re heading to Longford Blooms, bring a bag or box for your rare plant finds.
Yes. Six heritage cottages let you Wake Up in World Heritage, with Devonshire tea, a continental breakfast and after-hours access to the estate and Rose Garden included.
Yes. Woolmers Estate is operated by the not-for-profit Woolmers Foundation, and every ticket supports conservation of the estate and its gardens.
Last grounds entry: 4pm
Grounds close: 6:30pm
20 minutes from Launceston
17 minutes from Launceston Airport
FREE entry when bringing interstate or overseas guests
