Hurstbridge Wattle Festival
Sunday 30th August 2026
10am-4pm
We're proudly supporting the
Hurstbridge Wattle Festival!
Hurstbridge Region Wattle Festival Competition time!
See below
Hurstbridge Region Wattle Festival Giveaway Competition!
Celebrate local. Win local.
Go in the draw for fabulous prizes from our local business community!
Enter for a chance to win local prizes from Hurstbridge Region businesses!
Dinners for two, a winery experience, a special family orchard experience,
local artwork, superb gin and organic wine
— all generously contributed by our regional business community.
👆 Click above to enter the giveaway
You’ll be taken to a quick entry form to:
🖊️ Share what you love most about the Hurstbridge Region (30‑minute radius)
✔️Join our new What’s On Hurstbridge Region newsletter (one tick)
🎁 Prizes
🔴 Dinner for two at HC Catering's Hurstbridge Haven's 'Flavour Journey' (Value $160) in Hurstbridge
🔴 Winery tasting, platter and take home bottle of wine at Wedgetail Estate (Value $120) in Cottles Bridge
🔴 Dinner for two with a drink at Henry Hurst's Pizza Restaurant (Tues/Wed/Thurs) (Value $75) in Hurstbridge
🔴 Cherry & Apple picking Family experience at Apted's Orchards (Value $120) in Arthurs Creek
🔴 Artwork from "Big Landscape - Small Impressions" Exhibition in November at Bridge End Gallery & Studio
- by Linda MacAulay Artist (Value $250) in Warrandyte
🔴 Bottle of Gin by award winning Imbue Distillery in Research
🔴 Organic wine from Nature's Harvest Healthfood Store in Hurstbridge
👥 Eligibility
18+ only.
📅 Deadline
Entries close 11:59pm, Sunday 6 September.
📣 Winner Announcement
Winners will be announced on our socials and website and via email. Prizes are to be collected/enjoyed directly from each contributing business within the timeframe provided. Identification may be required.
🧡Why We’re Doing This
To celebrate local businesses, strengthen connections across our region, and launch our new community newsletter.
For 22 years the beautiful village of Hurstbridge celebrates the arrival of Wattle season with a fantastic and massive family friendly festival!
The feels of the green wedge are strong in the shade of yellow with masses of gorgeous yarn bombing complementing nature's yellow wattle beauty.
On the outskirts of Melbourne in a beautiful bush setting Hurstbridge Village is home to a small population of 3,500 people with visitors on the day swelling numbers to some 15,000 people!
The focal point of the day is without doubt the wonder of Steam Rail Victoria's impressive and goosebumping inducing steam training chugging and whistling through the local bushland before arriving at Hurstbridge Station. Coming all the way from Melbourne you'll find a plenty of transpotters along the route and the photos shared are an added joy! Train rides to Eltham and back are run throughout the day and tickets need to be purchased in advance via Steam Rail Victoria. There is one big run in from Melbourne and another on the return journey at the end of the day.
Just seeing the gorgeous steam train from yesteryear is a fantastic experience and you can get quite close up to have a look! Kids of all ages, including the grown up variety, love it!
The entire township comes alive with three live music stages, two market areas, numerous displays including a massive and passionate BMX Bike group, vintage cars, roving performers, face painting, delicious food vendors, beautiful wines, craft beers, gin distilleries and lots of lovely soft and family friendly drinks. Some village traders have their doors open and you can get a feel for the village.
Wear your comfy shoes and check out the program below!
The ranks of the small village swell to some 15,000 people for a magic day in a gorgeous village!
The Hurstbridge Wattle Festival has wonderful vendors from the wider Hurstbridge Region and Nillumbik Shire, as well as the beautiful village shops, and attracts visitors from across all the connecting neighbourhoods and suburbs, as well from across Melbourne.
It's very popular and an annual welcome to Spring event for many.
You'll find some of the Hurstbridge Region HBR Business Group members there with some superb grown up drinks and more!
We're holding a competition to celebrate! Launching soon! Watch this space.
Hurstbridge Region's Wattle Festival Competition!
It's competition time!
💛Share some love for the Hurstbridge Region!
Tell us your favourite thing about the Hurstbridge Region (30 min radius around Hurstbridge)!
To enter, share one of the following:
🚂Your best Wattle Festival memory
🥂A local business you love to visit
🌳Your absolute favourite place in the area
Say hi at the Hurstbridge Wattle Festival!
We're providing the content on the day collabing with the Wattle Festival!
Suzy will be the roving reporter for the Wattle Festival & Hurstbridge Region on the day! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook - including some live coverage!
🚂 Major Festival Highlights
Steam Train Shuttles: Run by Steamrail Victoria, a vintage K-class steam locomotive and a heritage "Red Rattler" Tait train operate 45-minute scenic return trips between Hurstbridge and Eltham. Fares apply and tickets sell out rapidly before the event.
The Hursty Hustle: A free 3.5 km fun run/walk where participants literally race the morning steam train from Wattle Glen Station into Hurstbridge.
Entertainment & Culture: Watch live local music across multiple stages, traditional performances by the iconic Wattle Witches, Highland Games athletic heavy events, and classic vintage car displays.
Markets & Food: Over 100 craft and variety market stalls at Hurstbridge Primary School. You can also enjoy fresh Devonshire tea and scones from the CWA or make your own wattle crown at the Hurstbridge Community Hub.
🚌 Important Visitor Logistics
Getting There & Parking: Street parking within the village is highly limited and heavily congested on festival day.
Free Shuttle Buses: Festival organisers strongly recommend parking at nearby train hubs. Free shuttle buses run frequently directly to the festival gates:
From Diamond Creek: Every 15 minutes starting at 9:45 am.
From Wattle Glen Station: Every 30 minutes starting at 10:00 am.
From Mernda Railway Station: Direct express shuttle every 30 minutes from 9:45 am.
Would you like your events to be listed here?
Become A hbr BUSINESS GROUP MEMBER TO BE INCLUDED!
Business Memberships from just $5 per week with lots of other benefits!
Community groups may apply for a free membership
Terms & Conditions – Hurstbridge Region Wattle Festival Giveaway
1. Promoter The promoter is Hurstbridge Region (www.hurstbridgeregion.com.au).
2. Eligibility Entry is open to Australian residents aged 18 years and over.
3. How to Enter To enter, participants must complete the online entry form accessed via QR code, website or social media. The form includes:
- A tick‑box to join the What’s On Hurstbridge Region newsletter (a condition of entry)
- A short answer about what they love most within the Hurstbridge Region (30‑minute radius)
- Only one entry per person is permitted.
4. Competition Period Entries open on Saturday 29 August 2026 and close at 11:59pm, Sunday 7 September 2026.
5. Prizes Prizes are provided by participating Hurstbridge Region Business Group members and may include:
- Dinner for two at participating venues
- Winery experience
- Artwork (up to a set value)
- Orchard experience + fruit
- Bottle of gin
- Organic wine
Prizes are not transferable, not redeemable for cash, and must be collected directly from the contributing business within the timeframe advised to winners after the draw.
6. Winner Selection Winners will be chosen at random after the competition closes.
7. Winner Notification Winners will be announced on the Hurstbridge Region website and social media channels, and contacted via the email provided in their entry.
8. Prize Collection Winners must collect their prize from the individual business that supplied it, within the timeframe provided. Identification may be required.
9. Use of Entries By entering, participants consent to Hurstbridge Region using their submitted “What I love most about the Hurstbridge Region” response for future promotional or community storytelling purposes (first name only unless otherwise agreed).
10. Privacy Personal information provided in the entry form will be used for administering the competition and for subscribing entrants to the What’s On Hurstbridge Region newsletter.
11. Changes & Cancellation Hurstbridge Region reserves the right to amend or cancel the competition if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.
The form below is not part of the competition but you're welcome to sign up for our newsletter and business info if you don't enter.
Cellar Door Open Every Weekend
Food - platters
Family friendly
Dog friendly
cottles bridge
wedgetail estate
open weekends & holidays 11:30am - 5pm
40 Hildebrand Rd
Weekend moments at Wedgetail
Enjoy our estate-grown Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Cabernet & local craft beer from Golden Hills Brewery
Yummy grazing platters to share including cured meats, artisan cheeses, pickled local produce & fruit.
40 Hildebrand Rd Cottles Bridge (5 mins drive from Hurstbridge)
Visit premium winemakers in their workplace.
Food (platters - pre-booking required)
st andrews
buttermans track wines
open weekends
open: 12:00pm - 5pm
75 Yow Yow creek Road
Cellar door tastings and flights
Buttermans Track Wines offers high quality wine varieties including Riesling, Sangiovese Rosé, Sangiovese, Shiraz and Pinot Noir.
Owned and operated by Gary, Louise and Joel Trist. The vineyard and winery is located in the heart of St Andrews on the edge of the Yarra Valley.
Established in 1991, producing premium quality wines with minimal chemical and technological intervention.
Excellent restaurants across Melbourne include these beautiful wines in their wine lists.
If you’re in the industry and these wines are unknown to you, grab yourself some pats on the back and introduce them to your workplace. Accolades will follow for your discerning taste!
Family business in the St Andrews bush.
Let's stay connected
We'd love to connect with you! Looking forward to a great year ahead.
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