When you arrive at Table Cape Tulip Farm, you may wonder what you’re in for. It is a farm, so you’ll see machinery (including a shed full of historic bits and bobs), mud and mayhem. This year, I noticed piping artfully decorating one of the shed walls – a man walking by us aptly named it “irrigation piping that has been run over by a tractor”. This is the kind of place that Table Cape Tulip Farm is: an honest-to-goodness working farm.
You’ll soon realise why locals and tourists flock here in droves each Spring. Firstly, Table Cape Tulip Farm is in an incredible location. You’ll wind your way up from Wynyard to the top of the cape. From here, the farm boasts views of the historic Table Cap Lighthouse and Bass Strait. On top of this windswept plateau, colourful fields of tulips bloom for the month of October. It is a sight to behold! This year, the field in bloom (which is rotated annually) didn’t have views of the lighthouse but the tulips did not disappoint.
The sight of a patch-work field of living colour stretching up over the hill is breathtaking. Even better is walking between the colourful rows. There are many special treasures hidden in the tulip fields: choosing your favourite bloom, spying an “odd-one-out” (a lone white tulip in a row of red, for instance) or even finding a tulip-painted rock! Of course, people-watching is also fun. Apparently, the thing to do this year was to bring your dog along for a great Instagram photo-shoot!! If you visit during the Bloomin’ Tulips Festival, you can pay to have your portrait taken by a professional photographer.
The main business of Table Cape Tulip Farm is selling tulips but you won’t find many for sale during Spring. Why? Because they sell bulbs! The farm’s flower-selling season is at a completely different time of the year. Head to Van Diemen Quality Bulbs’ site for a peek at what’s on offer. One of my favourite things to do when I visit Table Cape Tulip Farm is to choose a few new varieties of tulips and daffodils to order for my garden. If you’re not fortunate to live in a tulip-friendly climate, you’ll at least have memories and photos to cherish.
What to Bring
I always say to wear sturdy shoes when you go out and about in Tasmania, but you actually don’t have to at Table Cape Tulip Farm! If you want, you can swap your fashion shoes for a pair of sturdy blue gum boots, for free. If the ground is wet, this is particularly important as the north west coast features some of Tasmania’s richest dirt and it sticks in giant clods to your footwear! As always, do dress appropriately for the weather conditions. You’ll stay longer than you had imagined in the field of tulips and can end up frozen or sunburnt. If you’re particularly unlucky, you might end up both frozen AND burnt; it does happen in Tasmania! The farm has amenities and a small café. I highly recommend Café Umami in Wynyard, particularly for those with dietary requirements.
Getting There
Table Cape Tulip Farm is a 5-minute drive from Wynyard in Tasmania’s north west. There is plenty of parking at the farm but you are parking in a field so it’s not necessarily a smooth drive. Remember that visitor numbers swell enormously during the Bloomin’ Tulips Festival so arrive early for a park that is closer to the main attraction. The farm is open from 9am – 4:30pm daily when the flowers are in bloom (late September to late October each year). You can visit at other times of the year to buy bulbs if you phone ahead but it really is worth visiting when the flowers are in their full splendour.
Cost
The rather wonderful thing about Table Cape Tulip Farm is that kids (under 16 years old) are free! Adults cost $12 per person in 2018 ($10 per concession or $8 per student). You can purchase bulbs and gift items from the shop or treats from the café. You can also order the bulbs online if you’d prefer. Apart from your entry fee, though, the main “cost” will be displaying your gorgeous photos… Enjoy!
Staying a while? There’s plenty to do in Tasmania’s north west or, further afield, west coast and north.
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