If you happen to LOVE Instagram, there’s a chance you may have seen a whole bunch of crazy gorgeous photos of sunflowers popping up in Queensland-related posts. They’re golden, dreamy, bulbs of flowery goodness and they’re taking over Instagram. If you check out the Instagram Geotag for Allora, you’ll see what I mean. But where the heck are they exactly? How do you find them and is it worth going? Those are all excellent questions and I’m going to answer them for you and tell you everything you need to know about the Sunflower Trail in Warwick and Allora.

When is the best time to visit?

You’ll find the sunflowers in bloom from December through to February and even March, though they may start and end earlier or later depending on the weather. Matt and I visited on January 24th and found most of the sunflowers to have finished already, with only one field still in full bloom. Had that field not been in bloom, we would’ve driven a long way for nothing and been a bit miffed. Nobody’s fault though… what are ya gonna do?!

The best way to make sure there are plenty of sunflowers in bloom before you drive the few hours to get there, is to call ahead and check. You can contact the Warwick Visitor Information Centre on (07) 4661 3122.

How to find the best sunflower spots in Warwick

Where the heck are they?

Sunflowers can be spotted between Warwick and Allora in Southern Queensland Country. The area has a dedicated ‘Sunflower Trail’ a 50km-ish route signed as Tourist Route 11. We drove this route and didn’t spot a single sunflower, not even a plastic one hanging out of a local shop. So my advice would be to skip Tourist Route 11 and it’s 50kms of lies. Instead, I suggest you scope out for sunflowers yourself, they’re kinda hard to miss given they’re a sprawling mass of bright yellow.

We found sunflowers a-plenty on the drive between Allora and Warwick, along the New England Highway. We also found a giant, wide-open field of them as far as the eye could see by driving off the main roads and exploring side roads like Hancock Lane, Agnew Road, Glengallan Road and Willowvale Road. Had they been in bloom, this would have been the most beautiful spot to find them.

How do you get there?

That’s the easy bit! Coming from Brisbane it’ll take you around 2 hours to get there, driving along the motorway out past Ipswich. It’s a really nice, easy drive taking you through some gorgeous countryside, past quaint country cafes, over the Main Range and through gorgeous, winding, country roads. Make sure you have a little cash on you because there are great places to stop and buy honey, fruit and vegetables on the roadside. There are also some cafes to grab a cup of coffee to keep you fuelled up.

How to find the best sunflower spots in Warwick

Is it worth going?

It’s a full day trip. So if you drive the two hours out there, spend two hours looking around and drive the two hours back, that’s a big six-hour day and a lot of driving for a short visit. So, yes, it’s worth it, but I would probably recommend you make a whole day out of it and explore the area a bit. It’s a beautiful place!

You might want to check out the Warwick Uber Markets held on the second Saturday of every month or any of these markets held in the Darling Downs area. Take a drive through historic Allora and stop for coffee and a bite to eat at local favourite The Frog and Swallow. There are some fantastic op-shops and thrift stores dotted around Warwick, a great place to potentially scoop up a bargain on cheap clothes and furniture. Take a peek at the Glengallan Homestead and Heritage Centre, visit Moogerah Dam, explore the Main Range National Park, check out the Southern Downs Steam Steam Railway and the Warwick Art Gallery.

Other great places to grab a bite to eat in Warwick include Cherry Tree, Belle Vue Cafe, Bluebird Kitchen and Bar, Warwick Gardens Galore, Bryson’s Place and Joie de Vivre.

A few pro tips

  • It’s important to be aware the sunflowers are growing on private property, so make sure you’re mindful of this. It’s probably not cool to go busting down fences to get through to the flowers and get your perfect photo. So, be respectful and mindful.
  • I’d recommend you visit at Golden Hour, which is the hour or so leading up to sunset
  • You may also want to pack something to stand on, like a sturdy chair so you can get up high, above the tops of the flowers to get a good shot. This is  important because the flowers are so tall, it’ll help you get good perspective shots
  • Remember to explore the path less travelled, get off the main roads and drive through smaller winding roads to find hidden fields of sunflowers tucked away.

Best travel resources for your trip!

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