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More than a million sunflowers will bloom at this Scenic Rim festival in May 

Credit: Getty/Gaitanides

Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
This feel-good festival offers dazzling golden fields, family-friendly fun and the chance to pick your own blooms – all for a charitable cause.

Fields of sunshine yellow will once again light up the Scenic Rim this autumn as the Kalbar Sunflower Festival returns from 1–3 May 2026. 

Held in the country town of Kalbar, around an hour and 15 minutes south-west of Brisbane, the much-loved event transforms eight hectares of farmland into a sea of more than one million sunflowers, all backdropped by the Scenic Rim’s gorgeous mountain scenery. Attracting more than 13,000 visitors each year, the festival makes for a vibrant and memorable day trip from Brisbane.  

This year’s program promises a giant sunflower maze and all-new Dinosaur Land activation, plus live music, food trucks, educational community workshops and a range of free children’s activities. 

A festival with heart

kalbar sunflower festival
Snap a pic among more than one million blooms. (Credit: Kalbar Sunflowers)

Beyond the beautiful blooms, the event has a deeper purpose: honouring community, generosity and togetherness in times of hardship. Since its beginnings, Kalbar Sunflower Festival has raised funds for cancer and palliative care across south-east Queensland. Visitors can pick their own sunflowers for $2 a stem (or purchase a pre-cut bunch), with all proceeds from sunflowers, raffles and certain activations donated to charity partners. This year, organisers are focusing on raising money to provide cuddle beds for hospitals across the region – special beds that allow families to lie together during palliative care, creating precious moments of closeness when they matter most. 

The festival’s story itself is rooted in resilience. In 2021, local farmers Jenny and Russell Jenner were facing one of Queensland’s longest droughts in living memory. With their usual crops struggling in the dry conditions, a simple idea sparked inspiration: sunflowers thrive with little water and their vibrant colour brings instant joy. From that moment, the seeds of the festival were planted. 

Later that year, Russell was diagnosed with Stage 4 Oesophageal Cancer. Rather than step back, he became even more driven to foster positivity, raising more than $115,000 for cancer care at the 2022 and 2023 festivals. While Russell sadly passed away in 2023, Jenny remains determined to continue farming, supporting the personal cause and bringing joy to visitors through the annual festival. Since 2022, Jenny and the team have raised more than $435,000. 

“This event showcases the unique connection between our state’s vibrant communities and the diverse regions they call home," says Andrew Powell MP, the Queensland Minister for the Environment and Tourism. “Events like the Kalbar Sunflower Festival bring people together, celebrate local culture and contribute significantly to the community’s pride and economy." 

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The 2026 festival program

kalbar sunflower festival installation
The festival brings together community engagement, creativity and nature. (Credit: Kalbar Sunflowers)

From murals to reflection gardens, petting farms to photo ops, the Kalbar Sunflower Festival offers buckets of entertainment for all ages.  

Kids will be heading straight for the Children’s Hub, where they can meet furry friends at the petting farm, enjoy a range of creative crafts and take snaps in the dedicated kids’ photo booths. There will also be face painting, Carissa the Bubble Princess and a station for making seed bombs under the guidance of the Urban Utilities team. Plus, an all-new Dinosaur Land area and a sensory and fairy garden will bring extra enchantment. 

But there’s plenty of fun for adults, too. Find your way through the sunflower maze, add your own flourish to the community mural painting and check out the variety of food and drink vendors, as well as the revamped market stalls. Also new this year is the paid Sunflower Stage area ($15 per person), where visitors can bring a picnic blanket or camp chair, enjoy a drink from Boonah Brewery Co and listen to a lineup of talented musos.  

Ticket information

Tickets go on sale in March 2026. With visitor numbers capped and previous years selling out quickly, organisers recommend booking early to secure your spot. 

Entry is $35 for adults (18+) and $15 for teens aged 15 to 17, while children aged 14 and under attend free (no ticket required). 

Tickets include entry to the farm, access to the sunflower fields, free children’s activities and a range of festival activations throughout the grounds. 

Eleanor Edström
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
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8 experiences that make Moreton Bay the best getaway

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
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    From the moment you arrive in Moreton Bay, stunning natural vistas, fresh and tasty dining, history and more invite you to stay and play.

    Untouched national park, mirror-like lagoons and endless stretches of beaches all make Moreton Bay experiences feel like you’ve stumbled across a secret Queenslanders collectively vowed not to tell. Yet it’s easily accessible. Explore further and discover hinterland farms, ancient rainforest, fresh seafood and more: there’s something on offer for every pace, interest and generation.

    Just 20 minutes from Brisbane Airport, it’s hard to believe how underrated this Queensland getaway is. Here’s your ultimate guide to rediscover play with unmissable experiences in Moreton Bay.

    1. G’Day Adventure Tours, Bribie Island

    G’Day Adventure Tours’ Sea to Table Experience
    Explore Bribie Island with G’Day Adventure Tours.

    G’Day Adventure Tours’ Sea to Table Experience should be your first agenda item in Moreton Bay. Take a 4WD journey through the sandy tracks of Bribie Island’s beaches to the still, glassy waters of the island’s lagoons. Glide over perfect replicas of paperbarks and fluffy blue clouds mirrored in the lagoon waters in your kayak. Listen as native birdsong echoes around you.

    Then, it’s on to Fort Bribie. During the Second World War, these concrete bunkers – now slowly being enveloped by the dunes – were the last line of defence for Moreton Bay.

    End the day with a sun-dappled beach picnic of locally caught Queensland prawns and famous Moreton Bay bugs. As you head home, watch the dolphins playfully dart in and out of the surf.

    2. Morgan’s Seafood at Scarborough

    Morgan’s Seafood
    It doesn’t get fresher than Morgan’s Seafood. (Image: Ezra Patchett)

    Right on the Scarborough Boat Harbour, you’ll find Morgan’s Seafood . Between the luxury yachts, you’ll also spot trawlers and fishermen delivering their day’s catch right to Morgan’s. The family-owned and operated spot is one of the best places to try the region’s eponymous Moreton Bay bug. Or, sample more of the area’s direct-from-the-boat seafood fresh at their oyster and sushi bar. If you’re lucky, your visit might coincide with a day they’ve caught tuna.

    Picture fish caught that day, prepared and then served to you as fresh sashimi as the sun sets over the unique silhouette of the Glasshouse Mountains.

    3. Woorim Beach, Bribie Island

    woorim beach bribie island
    Hang 10, or relax, on Woorim Beach.

    On Bribie’s eastern coastline, you’ll find Woorim Beach : aka the closest surf beach to Brisbane. Find a place on the sand by the patrolled area or wander further south to find a quiet spot and while the day away between the shaded dunes, the pages of your book and the peaceful sound of rolling waves.

    Ask any local where to grab lunch, and they’ll direct you to Bribie Island Surf Club Bistro . Tuck into a fresh, local seafood platter, just metres from the beach.

    4. D’Aguilar National Park

    D’Aguilar National Park
    Admire the landscapes of D’Aguilar National Park.

    D’Aguilar National Park is a 40,000-hectare slice of greenery that stretches from urban Brisbane right up to Woodford (home of the Woodford Folk Festival). The vast expanse of park is home to ancient rainforests, eucalypt forests and shaded swimming spots hidden within gorges and under waterfalls. The area is significant for the Jinibara and Turrbal people, with ceremonial bora rings and dreaming trails all found within the park.

    Carve out some time in your itinerary to explore the park’s many trails. The Maiala day-use area is the perfect starting point for walks for all levels of ability.

    5. Arcade Wine Bar

    arcade wine bar moreton bay
    Sit down to a menu inspired by Italy.

    Opposite the Redcliffe Jetty and down a laneway, you’ll find an unassuming wine bar. Venture inside and quickly fall in love with Arcade Wine Bar , one of the region’s most beloved local haunts.

    Owners Danilo and Matt have a combined 50 years of sommelier experience, which they have poured into the menu, styling and wine list. More than just a hole-in-the-wall wine bar, Arcade Wine is an enoteca (a wine repository), whose walls are lined with bottles upon bottles of Italian wine varietals from every corner of Italy.

    Settle in with a wine and work your way through the menu inspired by Danilo’s native Italy: traditional meatballs, their quick-to-sell-out terrine, or a selection of Italian cheeses, charcuterie and arancini.

    6. Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail

    Away from the ocean, tucked in the hinterland, is the Wamuran & Loop Rail Trail . Perfect for cyclists or walkers, the trail was built to showcase the history of the Caboolture to Kilcoy rail corridor (last operating in 1964) and makes for the perfect family day out. The trail runs for 10.5km and connects Wamuran and Caboolture via an accessible path.

    Pass through former railroad, bridges and shaded bushland as you cut from A to B. Plus, visit in winter for a detour along the way to one of the many pick-your-own strawberry farms.

    7. Farm Visits

    Beaches, mountains and history make an enticing combination. But Moreton Bay also brings hinterland, family-friendly farms to the table. Trevena Glen is one of the area’s most loved, with bunnies, ponies, sheep, alpacas (and more) available to visit for the kids. For the adults, book a horse-riding session and be treated to a grazing platter as you watch the sun set over the mountains of D’Aguilar National Park.

    At White Ridge Farm , find camels, putt-putt, train and tractor rides and all kinds of animals. The entire farm is paved, making it accessible for all.

    8. Miss Sprinkles

    Miss Sprinkles Gelato moreton bay
    Pick your scoop at Miss Sprinkles Gelato.

    An ice cream at the beach is one of life’s most perfect pleasures. While in town, stop by Miss Sprinkles for the locals’ pick of homemade gelato on the Scarborough foreshore.

    The gelato here is made the authentic Italian way and scooped up just across from the beach. Or, settle in at their kitschy pink wooden tables for traditional gelato in the sunshine.  Aside from the homemade gelato, you’ll also find tarts, pies and even doggie gelato.

    To start planning your Moreton Bay trip, or for more information, head to visitmoretonbay.com.au.