Morwell’s International Rose Garden Festival to Return in Full Bloom

The garden features over 4000 roses

(September 2025, Gippsland, Victoria, Australia) Visitors are set to travel from across the state of Victoria on 7 and 8 November 2025 for the International Rose Garden Festival in Morwell. This free community event shines a light on the garden, which features over 4000 roses that thrive thanks to over 6000 hours of care by dedicated Friends of the Rose Garden volunteers.

Held in November at the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden to showcase the roses and garden in full bloom, the International Rose Garden Festival program has evolved to deliver family friendly activities and entertainment across two days.

This year’s festival runs on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, visitors can explore the roses, take part in a range of free activities, treat their taste buds or partake in retail therapy at the market stalls.

Over the weekend there will be plenty of entertainment for the whole family including stalls, workshops, talks, live music, children’s activities, food trucks and Devonshire tea – complete with famous CWA scones.

On Saturday, enjoy a performance of the Grubby Bucket Show with dirtgirl, scrapboy and Costa the Garden Gnome and ABC Gardening Australia host and crowd favourite, Costa Georgiadis will judge the Cut Rose Competition.

For the first time, SWAY, a Melbourne-based arts company will provide a special installation using theatre, dance and circus using a unique, combination of sway-pole apparatus and bespoke performance equipment.

Festival partner AGL Loy Yang, presents the Night Light Installation on Friday and Saturday evenings. Explore the garden at night when the roses are transformed into a kaleidoscope of colour from hundreds of fairy lights, festoons and LED lights. Roving illuminated performers and giant animal and insect lanterns will be scattered throughout the garden. Enjoy a picnic amongst the roses with food from the food trucks and chill out to the tunes from local musicians.

Latrobe City Council Mayor, Councillor Dale Harriman encouraged people to mark the Rose Garden Festival in their calendars now. “The Rose Garden Festival is always a highlight on our events calendar and draws in a fantastic crowd each year,” said the Mayor.

“The Friends of the Rose Garden volunteers play a key role in ensuring the gardens are expertly maintained and presented ahead of the festival, allowing them to be enjoyed by all.

“We look forward to welcoming people back again this year to experience all the rose garden festival has to offer – I highly recommend it for all ages!”