He and about 50 other Australians arrived in Dunedin last night for the first Go Natural, Go Dunedin tour.
It is Mr Durie's third visit to Dunedin and he was "hoping to be inspired".
"There are some good gardeners around here, but I do think you guys have unfair advantage with the volcanic soils," he said.
The tours, a joint venture between Tourism Dunedin, Tourism New Zealand and Virgin Blue Airlines Group, are part of a $500,000 campaign promoting the city as an autumn destination for Queenslanders.
Tourism Dunedin chief executive Hamish Saxton said the tour was not just about gardens, but about the wildlife and heritage the city had to offer.
The four-day tour will take in the sights of Larnach Castle, Glenfalloch, and Natures Wonders.
When asked if autumn was the best time to display gardens, Mr Saxton said seeing gardens in this season would be a "completely different experience" for the Queenslanders.
"The Dunedin gardens will completely and utterly speak for themselves. They [the group] will be interested in the structure and design of gardens and the colour," he said.
Tour members Mike and Cheryl Game, of Brisbane, said they came because New Zealand was "beautiful" and the tour offered something a bit different.
Coming in autumn offered the opportunity to see a "colourful time of year", he said.
After being in the city for only a couple of hours, the pair were already convinced of a return trip.
Mr Saxton said the tour concept "has got legs".
The next tour of 50 people arrives on Thursday.
