Sunflower Fields in Queensland (Brisbane to Southern Downs)

As the year draws to a close, the sunflowers in the Southern Hemisphere will bloom again, bridging the end and the beginning of the year.

In the Southern Downs region of Queensland, Australia, there is a vast expanse of land planted with endless sunflower fields—a perfect place to see sunflowers. The towns of Allora and Warwick have the most concentrated flower fields. The peak bloom period is from January to March each year, but the flowering season actually starts in December and lasts until May of the following year, a long season that stretches from midsummer to late autumn. Even if you miss summer, you can still encounter them in autumn.

At the beginning of the year, I wrote to inquire about the local bloom times twice, but neither timing worked out. Just as I was about to give up, I caught the last wave of sunflowers before autumn.

Before going to see the flowers, you can check the information released by the local visitor center or send an email to ask which farms are in or about to be in bloom, so you don't make a wasted trip.

From Brisbane to the southern highlands, there are two routes of similar distance: one is via Route 13 to Route 90, bypassing Boonah and then joining Route 15; the other is via M2 and then Route 15. Both routes eventually cross Main Range National Park. The further you go into the mountains, the better the scenery.

Before going, I marked the exact locations based on information from the visitor center, so it was easy to find the place.

In the dazzling sea of flowers, tall stems support huge flower heads, growing upright under the sun. Bees and butterflies busily flit among the flowers, working tirelessly.

One flower head grows in the opposite direction from the others. Before it could turn with the crowd, its direction was already set. It stands out conspicuously, like a rebellious teenager in a group, growing against the wind and becoming a proud figure.

I always thought that sunflowers, from budding to maturity, turn with the sun from east to west every day. But after visiting them and watching them from before noon to afternoon, I saw that, apart from swaying in the wind, they never changed direction. I looked up information and learned that only in the early stages of blooming do they turn their heads with the sun; once the flower is fully open, it becomes fixed. I believe many people share the same misconception as I did—just never having seen the flowers in person or bothered to verify.

I went to the visitor center in Warwick and picked up a detailed sunflower map, so next time it will be much clearer and I won't have to wander blindly.

Warwick, also known as the City of Roses, has not only sunflower fields but also vast rose gardens. The streets are planted with various roses. Most of the buildings in the small town are over a hundred years old, giving it a classic, historic feel. On weekends, apart from the supermarket and a few shops in the shopping center, the street-front stores are closed. There are hardly any people on the streets, with only occasional cars passing by.

On the way home, I murmured: "Will I come here as many times as I did for the jacaranda trees in Grafton? Last year's flower and each one, and this year's—how could they be the same? Of course not!"

Year after year, though the blossoms fill the eyes, the flowers have already changed.

There are always longings that make one's heart soar,

There are always summons that make one forget oneself and the world.

—On the way back, while traveling through the mountains, a sudden rainstorm descended, and I saw a rainbow. I couldn't contain my emotions!