Autumn Nature Crafts in Australia: Celebrate the Season with Leaves and Dried Flowers

In Australia, autumn brings a unique beauty to the landscape. While the season may not be as universally dramatic as it is in the Northern Hemisphere, it still offers a rich palette of warm colours, and it’s the perfect time to embrace the beauty of nature in your crafts. From dried flowers to pressed leaves, there are plenty of ways to bring the vibrant, earthy tones of autumn into your home. Whether you're making something to decorate your space or as a personal keepsake, crafting with autumn’s natural elements is a lovely way to unwind, reflect, and celebrate the seasonal changes.

In this blog post, we’ll share some easy and creative autumn nature craft ideas using leaves and dried flowers from a flower press, specifically focusing on what’s available and blooming in Australian autumns.

Autumn in Australia

Australia’s autumn is distinct. With its unique mix of native plants, trees, and flowers, crafting with nature during this time of year lets us connect with the natural environment in a way that feels truly local. As the temperatures start to cool and the days shorten, autumn crafts also provide a perfect opportunity to slow down and enjoy the seasonal changes.

Unlike the colder Northern Hemisphere, where the fall foliage creates a fiery blanket of reds and golds, Australia’s autumn often sees more muted tones, like earthy greens, soft browns, and the occasional golden leaf from non-native trees, making an exciting variety of materials to incorporate into your crafts!

What You Need to Get Started:

• A flower press (or a heavy book)
• Fresh autumn leaves from native trees like Eucalyptus, Acacia, or Maple trees, or even imported trees like oaks and liquid ambers that thrive in Australia.
• Dried flowers—autumn bloomers like kangaroo paws, native wattles, and the bright chrysanthemums.
• Crafting glue or a glue stick
• Scissors
• Cardstock or blank notecards (for creating greeting cards)
• Frames or canvas (for creating wall art)
• Clear contact paper (to preserve your designs)
• Acrylic paints or markers (for added creativity)

1. Pressed Leaf Art: Bringing Autumn Indoors

In Australia, many native trees, like Eucalyptus and Acacia, shed their leaves during autumn, offering a fantastic range of textures and shapes to craft with. Collect fresh leaves during your outdoor walks and press them in a flower press or between the pages of a heavy book.

Once dried, these leaves can be used to create:

• Wall Art: Arrange pressed leaves in a creative pattern, and glue them onto a canvas or sturdy cardstock. You could also create a leaf 'wreath' or even a landscape design that celebrates the Australian countryside. Framing your pressed leaf art adds a rustic touch to your home.
• Greeting Cards: Personalise your greeting cards for autumn birthdays or thank you notes by gluing pressed leaves onto blank cards. Experiment with incorporating metallic markers or paint around the leaves to add a pop of colour.

2. Dried Flower Crafts: Embrace the Blooming Season

Autumn in Australia sees a mix of native and introduced flowers. The iconic kangaroo paw, the delicate wattles, and ever-bright chrysanthemums all bloom in vibrant hues –perfect for dried flower crafting. Once these flowers are dried, they can be used in a variety of ways:

• Pressed Flower Frames: Create a stunning piece of nature art by pressing native flowers like kangaroo paw or delicate wildflowers. Arrange them on a canvas or frame them as you would a painting. Adding eucalyptus leaves for texture creates a beautiful contrast.
• Bookmarks: Attach pressed flowers onto sturdy cardstock and laminate them to make beautiful, nature-inspired bookmarks. Not only do they make great gifts, but they’re also functional.

3. Nature Mandalas with Pressed Leaves and Flowers

Mandala-making is a meditative and creative way to use pressed autumn leaves and flowers. The symmetry and repetitive patterns are not only relaxing to make but also look striking once completed. Gather different types of leaves, flowers, and seeds that represent the colours and textures of autumn in Australia, then arrange them in a circular design. You can:

• Create a Wall Hanging: Once your mandala is complete, frame it or mount it on a canvas for a calming, seasonal piece of art.
• Make DIY Nature Ornaments: Use pressed flowers and leaves to create unique mandalas and hang them as ornaments. You could even add a spritz of gold or copper paint to make the designs sparkle in the sunlight.

4. Autumn Nature Garland

If you’re looking for a craft to fill your space with the colours of autumn, consider making a nature garland. Using a combination of dried flowers like chrysanthemums, and native leaves from trees like eucalyptus and liquid amber, string them together to create a beautiful, rustic garland. Hang the garland across a fireplace, doorframe, or even along your dining table for an elegant autumn touch.

• Add Twine for a Rustic Feel: Using twine or jute rope to connect your dried flowers and leaves gives your garland a natural, earthy look that’s perfect for Australian autumn.

Image by Deanna Talerico from Homestead and Chill.com

5. Autumn Candle Holders with Nature Accents

Candles are a wonderful way to bring warmth into your home as the evenings get cooler in autumn. Decorate your candle holders with pressed leaves, dried flowers, and twine to create cozy, nature-inspired accents for your space. The soft flicker of candlelight through the leaves will make your room feel even more welcoming during those crisp autumn evenings.

To create these, simply glue pressed leaves around the outside of a glass holder, wrapping twine at the base for an extra touch. For added effect, you could decorate your candles with small dried flowers or Australian bush seeds, giving your candle holders a distinctively local autumn vibe.

Tips for Crafting with Nature in Autumn:

• Drying time: Give your leaves and flowers ample time to press and dry. A flower press is ideal for this, but a heavy book will also work—just be sure to check them regularly!
• Experiment with colour: While Australian autumn leaves tend to be more muted in tone, you can still play with the variety of textures—Eucalyptus leaves are perfect for their distinct shapes, while wattles offer pops of yellow or gold.
• Mix native and non-native elements: Use both Australian natives and introduced plants for a blend of textures and colours that feel personal and meaningful.

Autumn in Australia offers a beautiful, unique backdrop for crafting. Whether you're working with native Australian flowers like kangaroo paw or collecting leaves from imported trees like oaks and liquid ambers, there’s no shortage of natural materials to work with. Nature crafts allow you to slow down, embrace the season, and create beautiful pieces that connect you to the natural world around you. So, take a walk outside with the kids, gather some leaves and flowers, and let the creativity of autumn take over as you create memorable, nature-inspired crafts together.

Happy crafting!