Balloon flight
Season: Year-round, weather permittingHot-air balloon flight over Camden
- Sunrise over farmland, rivers and the Razorback Range
- Many flights finish with breakfast
South West Sydney’s calendar mixes country shows, steam trains, Asian festivals and a famous ghost story. Here are the events worth planning a trip around. Dates change from year to year, so check the organisers’ websites before you go.
Summer: Lunar New Year
In January or February, Cabramatta celebrates Lunar New Year with lion dances, firecrackers, food stalls and crowds of families. It is one of the biggest celebrations of its kind in Sydney, and the streets around Freedom Plaza are packed. Come by train.
Autumn: the Festival of Steam and the Camden Show
Every autumn, usually in March, the village of Thirlmere hosts the Festival of Steam. Steam locomotives run shuttle trains along the old main line, and there is a street parade, markets and food. Book train rides early through the NSW Rail Museum.
The Camden Show is one of the oldest agricultural shows in New South Wales, with farm animals, horse events, woodchopping, rides and show bags. It is a great day out for families and a taste of the region’s farming roots.
Spring: the Moon Festival and tulips
Around September, Cabramatta’s Moon Festival marks the Mid-Autumn Festival with lanterns, mooncakes, performances and food stalls. In the Southern Highlands, an hour south, Bowral’s tulip festival fills the gardens with colour in September and October. See our guide to day trips.
November: the Festival of Fisher’s Ghost
Campbelltown’s best-known event takes its name from the story of Frederick Fisher, a local farmer who vanished in 1826. Months later, a man claimed to have seen Fisher’s ghost sitting on a fence rail by a creek, pointing to where his body was later found. The festival has been held every November since the 1950s, with a street parade, a fun fair, markets and an art prize.
Tips for festival trips
- Use the train for Cabramatta and Campbelltown events, as parking fills fast.
- Book accommodation early for the Festival of Steam weekend. See where to stay.
- Bring sun protection and water for outdoor events in the warmer months.
