Tag:victoria
White Night Bendigo was inspired by the international Nuit Blache movement that began in Paris in 2002 and has spread to 20 cities worldwide. In 2013 Melbourne held its debut white night, where the city was reimagined through art, music, colour and light. Ballarat hosted its first White Night in 2017, and Bendigo followed in 2018, with Geelong also holding its first White Night later this year on October 13.
Shamrock Hotel
We drove up to Bendigo on Saturday morning and booked into our Accom. Our hotel was the Shamrock in the heart of town and the centre of most of the displays. The hotel itself was great, and the beds were comfy, the shower was fantastic, and the location was stellar. We were just a short walk to Queens Park and View Street across the road from the GPO and Rosalind Park.
The Old GPO scrolled from 1920 to 2000 with popular/famous film and TV stars.
The standout of the night for us was the Returned Soldiers Memorial telling the story of Australia from around 1900 to 1918 and marks the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI coming up this November.
Further up, we found the ‘Fortuna Villa’ story
The infamous ghost book of Fortuna Villa has been found and has come to life! It’s fallen off the shelf and hit the floor with the pages open, releasing the spirits and memories recorded in its pages by the poor army watchmen for decades.
https://whitenight.com.au/bendigo/program/the-fortuna-villa-story/
Over five metres high and with wings that span six metres, the Messenger is an awe-inspiring, futuristic archangel that transcends nationality and religion to spread its message of love and compassion.
White Night Bendigo was a fantastic event. According to official figures, 60,000 people enjoyed the night. Every hotel and motel was booked out, and most restaurants too. Hopefully, it will run again in Bendigo next year. We’ll definitely go if it does!
“The introduction of a few rabbits could do little harm and might provide a touch of home,” Thomas Austin
Rabbits!
Thomas’s love for rabbit hunting resulted in a plague of rabbits across Australia. To prevent the spread of rabbits from the eastern states into Western Australia, the Rabbit-Proof Fence was constructed between 1901 and 1907. Thomas, a member of the Acclimatization Society of Victoria, introduced non-native animals and plants to the colony, such as blackbirds and partridges.
National Trust
In 1912, the house was sold to the Batson family, who later bequeathed it to the National Trust. At the time of the bequest, the house was still largely intact but had fallen into serious disrepair. Much of the furniture, artworks, and silverware had been sold off to provide income for the two sisters and one brother who remained in the house. The National Trust has since repaired the mansion and furnished it with furniture that was either original to the house or from the same time period.
The Grand Staircase
The staircase was the first of its kind in Australia. It led directly up the center of the hall and then branched left and right, rather than being on the side of the hall, as was the norm. Although it looks exactly like the one at Werribee Mansion, it was built three years before Werribee Mansion. Therefore, the Austins were the ones to introduce this style to Australia. The staircase was also built with much wider steps than normal to allow the ladies to descend gracefully and make a grand entrance. Downstairs, there is a sitting room, a drawing room, a dining room, a butler’s pantry, and a serving room. The kitchen was located on another level down, and food was sent up to the serving room for the servants to plate up. The butler would then take it to the table.
Address:
Barwon Park Mansion: 105 Inverleigh Road, Winchelsea 3241 VICOpen:
Open Wednesday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. Tours run at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Group tours are available by appointment. A Virtual Reality headset is available for mobility-impaired visitors courtesy of the State Trustees Australia Foundation.Cost:
National Trust members: Free Adult: $10 Concession: $7 Child: $4 Family (2 adults + 2 children): $20
Our plan was Phillip Island & San Remo and for the weekend. Phillip Island is only around 2 hours from home, and while we had been there before, it had been a few years. So we decided to head back this easter break. We started our photography plans with a drive along The Blvd. You can walk it, but we decided to drive it. This was because there is only one place you can stop along the way with a small lookout. Parking is not allowed on the verges. It’s supposed to be one way as it’s too narrow for cars to pass each other on many parts of the road. Not that it stopped some young idiots in a convertible coming from the opposite direction. You access it by driving to the Nobbies visitor centre. From there, you take the road off to the left as you approach the carpark.
There are some fabulous views along the way. We spotted a hovering Kestral that I tried to get a shot off. However, he was too far offshore and dived before I could get a picture every time. The only time he came close was so close that I couldn’t get a shot, either. Because the long lens wouldn’t focus – he was TOO close!
We booked a lovely house in San Remo for our stay as our main photographic goal was to shoot Cadillac Canyon – and the house was only 5 mins drive from there. Cadillac Canyon is accessed from Potters Hill Road.. from the carpark at the end, it’s a short walk to the start of the stairs down to the beach, 138 steps in total but nice wide, solid wooden steps with lots of landings along the way — they need a seat at the halfway point! 😉
Panhandle Flats
Once you are on the beach, Panhandle Flats is off to the left. To the right, at the other end of the beach, is Cadillac Canyon. We first went down there looking for a sunset, and while the light was excellent, the sunset wasn’t happening. The tide also made getting out onto Panhandle a no-go. So we decided to come back again in the morning.
The weekend daylight saving had finished in Victoria, so sunrise moved from 7.09 am to 6.09 am. We were up at 5 am – coffee and out the door arriving at the beach in the dark. Even though it was still dark, a car was already in the carpark before us. It turned out to be a surf fisherman. It had been a full moon the night before. So torches weren’t needed with the moonlighting our way down the steps and across the beach to Panhandle Flats. Tide was also with us. At 6.22 am, we could get out on the flats and set up with the low tide.
The colours in the sky didn’t look that promising. But just before sunrise, the sky popped a glorious red for a few minutes. We got our shots quickly because it was very short-lived.
Once the sun was up, we moved across to Cadillac Canyon. Apart from two surf fishermen, we had the beach totally to ourselves.
Pelicans
By now, it was just after 8 am, and we were starving. So we headed back to the house for breakfast and a rest before heading into San Remo to watch the pelican feeding at the pier. The feeding is free, though they have a collection tin for donations. Feeding takes place every day at midday outside the fishing co-op.
The birds are not worried about the humans. We were roped off from the feeding area (not sure for whose protection, lol). One late pelican arrival just barged into the throng of people, pushing his way through the spectators to get to the feeding area.
Pyramid Rock
Later that afternoon, we headed to Pyramid Rock on Phillip Island. It would be a good sunset spot – and is on our list for next time. The walk to Pyramid from the carpark is an easy 800m return. It has only a slight elevation; even with tired legs from the morning’s stairs, we cruised it in.
We had a fabulous weekend at Phillip Island & San Remo and hope to go back again in the summer months.
I knew whip-cracking existed. I’ve seen movies. However, I never really thought about it. Or considered it still an art practised today, especially a competitive one. But due to a demonstration by three very talented young whip-cracking wonders I am now educated.
Whip Cracking Competitors
Led by Madi Buzza and assisted by sister Keira and close friend Cody, our group was treated to an hour of their whip cracking skills. The trio also travels around Australia, attending festivals and competitions or demoing and teaching. Madi’s hat was evidence of this. It’s a virtual ‘map’ of her travels as a contestant.
West Side Whipcrackers
Nineteen-year-old Madi has been whip cracking for five years. Younger sister Keira, at 15 yrs old, has been cracking for four years. Cody became the third member of their little group. The trio became firm friends after meeting at an event last year. Sixteen-year-old Cody has been cracking for 12 months. The three are members of West Side Whip Crackers, a branch of the Australian Whipcrackers and Plaiters Association.
Stop off at the Deniliquin Ute Muster if you are up Deniliquin way in September. The Whip Cracking Wonders will be competing there at the NSW Whipcracking titles. It’s well worth seeing!
Wilsons Promontory National Park, or ‘The Prom’, as it’s affectionately known, is the southernmost point of mainland Australia. It’s also a top-rated destination. It has stunning coastal scenery, pristine wilderness, massive granite mountains, open forests, rainforests, sweeping beaches, and abundant native wildlife. It serves to make Wilsons Prom a photographer and holiday delight.
Accom at the Prom
Accommodation ranges from camping, and caravans to huts, cabins, and lodges. The prom has become so popular in recent years that it has its own manned police station in the summer months at Tidal River. It’s a far cry from my first visit 35 yrs ago. There were no amenities for campers save for a lonely toilet block back then.
Yanakie
We stayed in Yanakie just outside ‘The Prom’ on this visit. The main reason is that the caravan park was right on Corner Inlet. So if the weather gods were kind to us, we could get sunrise right outside our cabins without leaving the park. Some of our group took that to heart and came out to shoot the sunrise in jammies, only a few feet from the cabins. Why get dressed? 🙂
The weather gods did indeed smile on us. We had a magical sunrise on Saturday morning from blue hour, red skies and golden hour.
Tidal River
After a hearty breakfast cooked in our cabins or the bush kitchen for those camping, we headed into the park and made our way to Tidal River. Following the sunrise, it had rained, but the sun was now out, and we had stunning blue skies (prom weather is highly changeable) The temp climbed to around 30C. We were all melting. sun hats, sunnies and find shade became the order of the day
By the time we got back to the general store for lunch, the weather had turned again. The temp had dropped around 10°, and we were all reaching for the jackets we discarded earlier.
Squeaky Beach
After lunch, we headed to Squeaky Beach, so named as the fine sand squeaks when you walk on it. By now, the weather had indeed turned, and a storm threatened, so our time was limited. Nevertheless, the sand had a fabulous array of colours, and little streams led across the sand to the water.
We stopped off at Picnic Bay lookout – didn’t do the walk as it looked too long with the skies threatening.
Agnes Falls
The weather wasn’t kind for either sunset or sunrise the following day. However, we decided to call in at Agnes Falls on home from Wilsons Promontory. Considering it was the end of summer, the amount of water flowing over the top wasn’t too bad.
In December 2017, Melbourne Zoo opened a new exhibit – the Carnivores Trail. The new enclosure houses the Lions, Sumatran Tiger, Tasmanian Devil, African Painted Dog and Snow Leopard. I had been to the zoo many times and failed to get a ‘shot’ of the tiger. He always seemed to be hiding at the back of his old enclosure, so I decided another trip was in order.
the Carnivores Trail
On the day we visited, the Lions weren’t on display as they were adding new tree trunks for them to climb on. Considering we visited in February and the ‘Trail’ had only been opened for around seven weeks, it was disappointing and poor planning on the zoo’s part. Another disappointment was that the trail wasn’t circular like the map at the entrance. Once past the invisible snow leopards, the trail was blocked, and a sign told us to retrace our steps. So while the trail was open to the public, it seems that it’s certainly not finished.
Snow Leopards and tigers
The snow leopards have mythical status as they are hard to find. When we visited again, they were nowhere in sight. A fellow photographer had visited five times since the opening of the new trail and had not seen them once. The new Tiger enclosure is excellent. We were lucky to see him wading back and forth in the water for a good ten minutes.
Lemur Island
From the Carnivores Trail, we headed off to Lemur Island. Not actually an island but a fully enclosed walk-through exhibit where the Ring-Tailed Lemurs swan around relaxing and observing the visitors…
Gorilla Rainforest
Lemur Island leads to the Gorilla Rainforest. Among the Western Lowland Gorilla and other animals, it’s also home to the tree-tops apes and monkeys.
Butterfly House
We headed to the Butterfly House from the Gorilla Rainforest. This is one of my favourite exhibits at the zoo. It’s home to hundreds of butterflies fluttering around and landing on people.
Crystal Ball photography has become extremely popular, but how do you do it, or where to start? Due to the shape of the ball, it’s refractive—meaning anything viewed through it is reversed—and it gives you a fish-eye effect without a fish-eye lens.
Crystal balls come in several sizes from 40mm to 110mm and are readily and cheaply available on eBay (though I have seen a 200mm!) While they are referred to as crystal balls, most are glass. The ball in these images is a glass 80mm. While the bigger sizes are more straightforward to photograph and fill more of the scene, their weight is considerable. I have a 40mm on the way… it will be much lighter, but the trade-off is what I can shoot. I’ve also dropped my 100mm or had it roll off a surface a couple of times, so it now has a couple of tiny dings in it, so I also have a 110mm on the way.
Photographing the Ball
To have your crystal ball stand out from the background, you need a wide aperture – F4 or lower. Stand back from it and zoom in to get the soft, blurred-out background. The image above was shot at F4, 105mm, and about 4 feet away. Duck down so you are looking straight onto it or lower. Don’t shoot from above, as you will only get what it’s sitting on. Instead, focus on the main point of interest in the ball and shoot your image. Out of direct sunlight is best to avoid reflection (see the top right where the sun hit it on the ball above).
Positioning the Ball
To place the ball, you can either put it on a pole, a flat surface, in a shot glass, or water. (I’m going to try a golf tee next!). Location-wise, you need something interesting behind it. Place the ball and move your feet until you have a pleasing composition. It all depends on the angle. Keep a lint-free cloth handy to clean it between shots, or wear cotton gloves to keep the fingerprints off. Then shoot and have fun.
Rightside Up or Upside Down?
Because of the refractive aspect, your images are always upside down when shot… but you can flip them right side up using your editing program. For example, to get the shot of the wetlands below, we wedged the ball into the fork of a tree. Then, I flipped the image in Photoshop so it was right side up.
Floating?
I wanted to get a shot that looked like the ball was floating/hovering in the air, so I placed it on a post and then removed the post in Photoshop. To do this, you can either go around the pole with the polygon lasso or use the elliptical marquee tool. It’s a bit fiddly using the elliptical tool, but I found it worked better as it was round like the ball. The polygon tool, however, is great for objects with irregular edges.
The first step is to drag the elliptical tool over your ball to fit. This may take a couple of goes till you get the size right. The marching ants around the ball mean that it only affects the ball, whatever you do.
However, we need to invert the selection so the area outside the ball is selected and the ball is protected. The keyboard shortcut on a PC is ‘Ctrl + Shift + I’ or on a Mac, it’s Cmd + Shift + I
Now, the marching ants are around the edge of the image and the ball. The ‘active’ area now includes everything except the ball, so you can safely clone out the post using your clone tool.
Now, all you need to do is ‘Ctrl + D’ on a PC or Cmd + D on a Mac to deselect the selection, close the marching ants, and make final adjustments or crop to your liking.
A word of warning
These balls can be dangerous in the sun! They concentrate the sun’s rays into an intense, direct beam of heat and light… I had seen a tripod begin smoking after just a few minutes when a ball was placed on one… and when I drove around all day with my 80mm crystal ball sitting in the console between the front seats, it melted the plastic underneath! So always keep your ball in a cloth bag when not in use, never leave it in the sun unattended, and if you are shooting it in dry grass… work quickly!
In 1930, the then Board of Works created a Redwood Forest at Warburton. This one predates the Otways Redwood Forest by about nine years.
They cleared some eucalypt trees and planted Bishop Pine, Douglas Fir, and Californian Redwoods in their place. This was done for “experimental purposes as part of the Board’s hydrology research program”. Over 1476 trees range from 20 metres to the tallest being 55 metres. I don’t know what happened to the program, but the trees are still there for unrestricted access, and the site is just magic. The site is now heritage listed on the Victorian Heritage Database, ensuring survival from logging.
The Yarra River runs along the back of the forest…
and we headed to this first, trekking through a narrow goat track and undergrowth to find the river, and then found a wide path coming back. In the forest, none of us thought to record our Indiana Jones moment 🙁
The river is lined with lush green tree ferns, water tumbled and washed over rocks. Not a sound except for running water and the birds. We were only able to get down to the river at one point, with high banks preventing access most of the length, but the spot we found was beautiful, and we spent about an hour there.
Back in the forest, we found more ‘odd’ evidence on what happens in a Redwood Forest (on a full moon?). Dotted throughout the forest were circles made from twigs and branches and, in one instance, a small shelter. There were dozens of the circles, a couple shaped like large nests, more than a bit ‘Blair Witch’ and no way would I go in there after dark 😉
Getting there:
Drive through Warburton, following the Warburton Highway until it becomes Woods Point Road. After about 7 km, take Cement Creek Road on the left. The road is unsealed and a little rough in places, but 0.7 km along, you will find a small parking area on the right along a fenceline and a small gate barrier. Walk through the gate, and there you are. Walking through the plantation will lead you down to the river, following the walking tracks each way.
The Great Alpine Road (also known as The Great Alpine Way) is a road stretching from Wangaratta in the North-East to the Gippsland Lakes at Metung. It’s Australia’s highest, all-year-round road-sealed road (with chains required in the winter months). It’s a road to rival the Great Ocean Road with cliff-hugging bends, stunning scenery of deep valleys, lush green forests, magnificent views, rivers, and lakes.
Bright
I travelled the Great Alpine Way with my friend and fellow wanderer Lucy. Going from Bright to Metung and then to Lakes Entrance in late spring. While most wildflowers were gone and Bright was heading towards summer, it was still beautiful. We stayed overnight in Bright at the start of our drive in a lovely accommodation house on the banks of the Ovens River. The weather was a warm 35c when we arrived in Bright and having more enthusiasm than brains, we decided to take the Canyon Walk at our back door. The walk is very popular and not particularly challenging unless you attempt it in 35-degree heat.
“The Canyon walk takes you past a small canyon carved by the Ovens River and amazing water races carved by the hands of early miners. Enjoy the ever-changing river in all seasons and watch for bird life and wildflowers especially in spring. Interpretive signs explain the history of the gold mining along the river”
Bright to Lakes Entrance
The following day, we woke to cloudy skies with rain predicted. However, we decided to head up the road through Harrietville and Mount Hotham. At 1861 metres, Mount Hotham is Victoria’s highest alpine village. I would have loved to take the Razorback Trail to Mount Feathertop. but we were in a 2wd car and not that brave 😉 If you are in a 4wd, it’s highly recommended. We continued to Dinner Plain and enjoyed a delicious late breakfast at the cafe before heading towards Omeo.
Omeo
Arriving in Omeo, we stopped off at the Cuckoo Clock Shop. Then, on the recommendation of a local in Bright, we called in at the Bakery for Coffee and Cake (he must have been related because the coffee was lukewarm and the cake average). Finding almost nothing to do or photograph in Omeo, we ditched our original plans and continued to drive on to Lakes Entrance, with a stop in Bruthen at the Blue Bee Cafe for a decent coffee.
Lakes Entrance
We arrived at Lakes Entrance mid-afternoon just as the rain started, booked in Bellvue Lakes Motel and dashed to our room in the rain. Unfortunately, the rain kept up most of the night. The Bellvue is a very nice motel with lovely staff, but I wished I remembered to bring my pillow. Pillows on the bed are nothing short of dreadful. The Rudder and Fin are attached to the motel but run separately. The food was delicious and reasonably priced.
The following day after a losing battle and a broken night’s sleep with crappy pillows, we went in search of breakfast. As the sun was trying the break through the clouds, we thought the day would improve. With this in mind, we booked an afternoon eco-cruise on the lakes and then jumped in the car to explore the area. We headed up the road to Lake Tyers Beach as our first stop. Lake Tyres is close to the sea, with the sandbar blocking the entrance. It’s only occasionally open to the sea, the last time being 2007 for six months before it closed again.
We drove to the Nowa Nowa Wetlands from Lake Tyers; not many birds there, but I was lucky enough to catch one pelican cruising for a takeoff. We headed back to Lakes Entrance from Nowa Nowa and stopped off at the Stony Creek Railway Trestle Bridge. The bridge was built in the early 1900s and is 276 long and 19m high. The bridge is fenced off and in poor condition though you can get to the trail by heading down the steep slopes of the Stony Creek Valley. (We didn’t)
Back in Lakes Entrance, we boarded The Lonsdale for our 3-hour cruise around the lakes. The skipper (Tony) was very knowledgeable about the lakes, and the scones provided by the ‘skippers’ were fantastic. I should have taken a photo! Big fluffy scones topped with lashings of strawberry cream with a strawberry on top. Delicious! The sun had made an appearance, but the wind off the lakes was bitterly cold. We started out sitting up top, came to our senses pretty quickly, and moved to the downstairs area out of the wind. We didn’t see any dolphins, but we did spot a couple of seals sunbaking at the entrance and quite a few birds.
Our last day was the leg home—Lakes Entrance to Melbourne via the long, boring Princes Hwy. As is ALWAYS the way, the day we were leaving was the nicest weather-wise. I think we could hire ourselves out as drought breakers!
I love waterfalls and the Otway Ranges, and Hopetoun Falls had been on my wish list for some time, esp now that I have finally got my head around F stops and slow shutter speed. I haven’t mastered it, but at least now I understand the concept 😉 In June, I went down to the Otway Ranges with my sister and niece for the niece’s birthday. All Canon girls. We drove down in the sunshine, but it was pouring rain most of the day we were shooting. In a rainforest in winter, who would have thunk?
We knew it would be cold, so we were prepared with waterproof coats, gloves, and thermal underwear. But, pity, no one remembered to pack an umbrella!
We made sure we kept our cameras dry, but we were all soaked to the skin. Ah well, we dry better and with more minor damage than cameras and lenses. We booked a little cottage at the top of The Otways, which was comfortable, cosy and contained all we needed. once we got the fire going. Unfortunately, it wasn’t lit when we arrived, and it was so cold in there our breath was coming out in condensation! If you ever stay there, phone ahead and insist they light the fire for your arrival!
Hopetoun and Triplet Falls
Saturday morning, we woke to rain and mist. Our first stop was Hopetoun Falls, very photographed but very photogenic. We spent about an hour there getting wetter and wetter before moving to Triplet Falls. The walk to both falls is reasonably straightforward. Hopetoun Falls has more steps, while Triplet has boardwalks all the way in. And we found there is a short way and a long way. Hopetoun Falls is also the most photogenic of the two. Unfortunately, Parks Victoria doesn’t signpost, which is the shorter, and we spent about 45 mins walking in a long way, only to find we were about 10 mins from the carpark taking a different path back!
The Otways are beautiful and totally worth multiple trips back. Don’t go in the middle of winter like we did unless you are happy with wet conditions.
Chasing the elusive (for us) image of the Twelve Apostles at sunset, we planned another Great Ocean Road trip. This would be my second trip down there this year. The first was a complete washout (literally, as it had rained all weekend – see Wye River post). So, for this trip, we booked three nights in Apollo Bay and one at Warnambool and set off with our first stop at Teddy’s Lookout in Lorne.
Teddys Lookout
The view from the lookout was tremendous but required a walk to the lower lookout as some idiot had burnt the top lookout almost to the ground, and it was roped off. From Lorne, we drove to Apollo Bay and collected our keys. We had a lovely house right on the Great Ocean Road with a great view and easy access to the beach across the road.
We had planned to walk to Lower Kalimna Falls, but the troops mutinied partway into the walk, and we turned back about 700 metres into the hike. I was rewarded with an accommodating Kookaburra, though.
Maits Rest
The next day was a walk around Maits Rest, an 800-metre walk through the cool temperate rainforest of tree fern gullies and towering 300-year-old trees. A wooden boardwalk has been built over most of the walk to protect the ecosystem.
Cape Otway Lightstation
After Maits Rest, we drove to the Cape Otway Lightstation. The Cape Otway Lightstation is the oldest surviving lighthouse in mainland Australia. It’s been casting its light out to sea since 1848 over the towering sea cliffs where the Southern Ocean and Bass Straight intersect.
Gibsons Steps
On the third day, the good weather gods had deserted us as we set off early, heading down to Gibsons Steps – 84 steps along the cliff face, allowing access to the beach. The limestone stacks are impressive up close.
We followed this by stopping at The Twelve Apostles, The Arch, and the Loch Arch Gorge. The weather wasn’t as lovely as the day before, overcast and windy but not cold. The wind coming off the waves was kicking up massive spray along the coast.
Loch Ard Gorge
The gorge is named after a ship that foundered there in 1878. Bound for Melbourne, it hit reefs, and only two of the 54 onboard survived. The Loch Ard wreck still lies at Mutton Bird Island’s base.
After numerous stops, the troops rebelled again, stayed in the car, and played on their iPads and iPhones while we continued taking photos. That night, the last stop was Warrnambool Motel (very comfy, highly recommended) and a yummy dinner at ‘Images.’
The following day, the sun shone again, and we headed out to Hopkins Falls before starting the drive home. Stopped briefly at Inverleigh for lunch. Great little bluestone pub with super yummy food, we enjoyed a lovely meal in the beer garden (shhh, don’t tell them we used the table number as a very effective swatter on the wasps hanging around) before heading back to Melbourne.
Did we get the shot of the apostles we were after? No, not with that weather, as luck would have it was beautiful and sunny either side of the day we went. And a whiteout on the day we were there, but we are planning another trip down to Apollo Bay, just an overnighter when we know the weather will be good for two days.
One of our favourite gardens is Alfred Nicholas Gardens in Sherbrooke. We visited during the summer and made plans to return in the autumn to see the English trees changing colours.
Picnic Lunch
Expecting to spend most of the day there, we packed the cameras and a nice picnic lunch with cakes and wine and set off. The gardens are in the Dandenong Ranges, and the property is hilly and steep, as stunning as the gardens are. Very hilly and steep. By the time we got back to the car, I had wished we had packed an oxygen tent instead of the wine. However, we drank it anyway. So we were sitting on the car’s tailgate sipping wine while everyone else going back to their vehicles looked just as winded and puffed as we were.
Burnham Beeches
Originally named Burnham Beeches, it was built in the 1920s and owned by Alfred Nicholas, the ‘Aspro’ magnate. The beautiful gardens cover about 13 acres and feature tree ferns, mountain ash trees, lakes and waterfalls. Walking down to the ornamental lake brings you to a small series of islands connected by footbridges At the end of one is a small boathouse.
The gardens are alive all season long with masses of plantings. We had hoped to photograph the gardens as the leaves turned. But the unseasonably warm weather had kept everything green. So we decided on the way out that we would have to back again next year, but much later in autumn.
The Gardens
The gardens are worth a visit, but plan your day well. Unfortunately, there is no cafe on site. You need to carry everything in if you plan to eat there. Bins are scarce, so we carried our rubbish around for a while until we found one. And bear in mind, it’s a long way back up! Take the paths. They are easier than the steps! As you can see from the images, we didn’t leave it late enough in autumn to get the shots we wanted. Consequently, another trip is planned for the future.
