Say farewell to winter and welcome the joys of spring at the annual Hurstbridge Wattle Festival. Held on the last Sunday of August every year, this community celebration will be packed with market stalls, live music, kids entertainment, vintage cars, camel rides and more. Arrive in style, and book a vintage train ride from Melbourne to Hurstbridge. The festival will take place on Sunday, August 30, from 10am to 4pm.
Hurstbridge Wattle Festival
Running since 2004, this seasonal event invites you to explore the decorated streets of Hurstbridge and look out for the bright and cheery wattle. As you explore, browse through over 150 different market stalls, scattered around the neighbourhood. Find all sorts of fun and surprising things in every corner, such as live blacksmithing, a dog obstacle course and Highland games. The whole family will have fun, with wattle-themed craft activities, a petting zoo, face painting, camel rides and more. Check out some classic cars, and look forward to a BMX showcase.
Listen to live music throughout the day, and keep your energy going with an assortment of food trucks and sweet treats. Tuck into a classic sausage sizzle, try scones from the CWA, check out a bake sale and more.
Steam train ride
One highlight of the Hurstbridge Wattle Festival is the train rides from Steamrail Victoria. If you’re coming from the other side of Melbourne, you can hop aboard a transfer train from Newport or Flinders Street. You can book a one way trip there in the morning, or back in the evening, and the ride will be run by a heritage Red Rattler train.
Or, if you’re a bit closer, have a nostalgic time travelling through the leafy northern suburbs, with six shuttles running between Eltham and Hurstbridge. Led by a steam locomotive, you’ll settle in to the heritage carriage, complete with wood panelling, pressed metal ceilings and opening windows. These steam train rides are 45 minutes long.
Bookings for these trips are required, and you can see times and prices here.
If you’re an early bird, you can also take part in the ‘Hursty Hustle’, a free 3.5km fun run (or walk), where you’ll race the steam train from Wattle Glen to Hurstbridge. This race starts at 8:45am.
Getting there
Only disability parking will be available at Hurstbridge during the festival. If you’re driving, you could park at Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen or Mernda Station, and take the free courtesy bus. You could also catch the Metro train to Hurstbridge.
Find out more about the festival via their website, or check out their social media for updates.
