Spring is here, and there’s so many wonderful parks and gardens to explore around Melbourne, filled with wattle, cherry blossoms, wisteria and more! And there’s one park in Melbourne’s south-east that is packed with over 1000 native and exotic plants species, meaning that there’s plenty of pretty blooms for you to enjoy this season. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also 80 different species of birds, as well as an assortment of walking trails and picnic areas. You’ll find all that, and more, at Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick, about a 45 minute drive away from Melbourne CBD.
Wilson Botanic Park Berwick
Amble around this 39-hectare destination and bask in the pleasant spring weather. You’ll find a variety of ornamental gardens dotted around the park, including a cherry blossom garden, which is just dreamy in spring, and a rose garden, which blooms beautifully from November to May. There’s also a garden for Australian natives, a short walk filled with colourful camellias and a sensory garden that’s bursting with all sorts of smells and textures.
This park is also home to a significant plant fossil site, dating back to the Miocene period 22 million years ago. Many of these fossils provide a closer look into rainforest environments in a drying climate. Their most famous fossil contains the leaves of both a Southern Beech Tree and eucalyptus tree, showing a period when the land had both tropical and temperate trees at the same time. Today, you’ll see around 200 species of eucalyptus around the park. Wilson Botanic Park is also reintroducing many plant species and their ancestors back into area, including Wollemi Pine, Daintree Pine and Araucaria species. And while they aren’t as ancient, you’ll also see a variety of large oak trees, which were planted by early Europeans.
Wildlife
Birdwatchers will have plenty to see around Wilson Botanic Park. There’s a Bird Hide next to Basalt Lake, where you can look out for cormorants, cockatoos, honey-eaters and reed warblers. In spring, see if you can spot some adorable fluffy ducklings. Hear croaking frogs around the water, and keep an eye out for other native wildlife around the park, such as lizards, turtles, possums, snakes and even echidnas.
Walking tracks
There’s quite a few pathways for you to wander around, with a 2.5km circuit around the entire park. For lakeside views, stroll along the flat, 750 metre loop around Anniversary Lake, or stroll along a boardwalk through a eucalyptus forest to the Bird Hide at Basalt Lake. Or, journey along the sunken walkway to Lilypad Lake.
As you walk around, climb up the steep steps to Hoo Hoo Tower, where you can take in western views of the surrounding area.
The whole family can come along, with asphalt and gravel tracks that are suitable for wheelchairs and prams. Dogs are welcome too, as long as they’re on a lead.
More things to do
Pack a picnic to enjoy in the park, with plenty of areas for a leisurely day out, such as Fairy Dell and Amphitheatre Hill. There’s also a cafe, serving up coffee, smoothies, croissants and more light bites.
Kids will have plenty to do, with a dedicated area for ball games, as well as a fun playground.
Throughout the year, there’s also a variety of events to keep you busy, such as garden tours, history walks and music in the amphitheatre. To see what’s coming up, click here.
Key details:
đź“…Open daily
đź•’7am to 6pm (non-daylight savings) or 7am to 9pm (daylight savings). The Visitor Centre is open from 10am to 4pm.
🎫Free entry
