If you know of a location which should be added here, or can provide "missing" details for the locations listed, please contact us. Additional sites will be found at the web site for the Victorian Region.

Cultivated Plants

The Australian Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne
Burnley College, Richmond
Karwarra Native Garden, Kalorama
Katandra Gardens, Wandin
Maranoa Gardens, Balwyn
Monash University, Clayton
Points Arboretum, Coleraine
Pomonal Wildflower Nursery and Gardens
Rainforest Centre, Orbost
Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
Royal Park, Parkville
Wartook Gardens, Halls Gap

Predominantly Natural Areas (not National Parks)

In compiling this list, National Parks have been omitted. As all National Parks exist for the preservation of flora and fauna, it is obvious that any of the Parks throughout Australia are worth a visit by the plant enthusiast. Further details of National Parks can be found from the appropriate Parks Authority.

Blackburn Lake Reserve

Cultivated Plants

The Australian Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne

The Australian Garden is part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne and was officially opened in May 2006.

The Garden features approximately 100,000 plants, including 1000 trees, in 15 different landscape displays and exhibition gardens. It is open every day except Christmas Day, from 9am to 5pm.

Entry for adults costs AU$9 and for children under 16 entry is free. The concession price is AU$6.75.

Cranbourne Gardens also includes areas of native bushland and offers nature-lovers the chance to explore 363 hectares of untouched heathlands, wetlands and woodlands.

Burnley College, Richmond

The University of Melbourne's Burnley College has an excellent native plants section that includes:

• A garden designed by Kath Deary in 1987. It contains a range of native plants.
• An area of indigenous plants to the Melbourne area. It contains a range of endemic plants including grasses and forbs.
• A southern rainforest area - still quite young but growing well.

The college is located at 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond.

Karwarra Australian Plant Garden, Kalorama

The garden is set on a 2 hectare site on Mt Dandenong Tourist Road about 6km from Montrose east of Melbourne. The garden is set on a sloping site beneath a canopy of Mountain Grey Gums (Eucalyptus cypellocarpa) and Messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua).

The aim at Karwarra is to promote the use of Australian plants in horticulture by displaying plants which perform well in the environment of the garden. Species are selected for their ability to tolerate shade for much of the year. There are over 1300 species being grown including Banksia, Boronia, Correa, Crowea, Grevillea, Hakea, Hibbertia, Persoonia, Pomaderris, Prostanthera, Telopea and Thomasia. Many rare and unusual species are grown as well as rainforest and fern species.

The garden is open on Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 4pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Plants propagated on site are offered for sale to raise funds for continued development. Admission is $3.50 (free admission to the nursery if people just want to buy plants).

For further information phone (03) 9728 4256. Email: karwarragarden@yarraranges.vic.gov.au

Katandra Gardens, Wandin

This is a private garden but is open regularly for public inspection.

Beautifully set between the Dandenongs and the Yarra Valley, this 4 ha garden contains a wide range of species in an easily accessible setting. An excellent ideas garden for the native plant enthusiasts.

The garden is part of the Open Garden Scheme, has Land for Wildlife status and holds the OPCA collection for Correa. Currently 100 species of Acacia are being planted out and the Grevillea collection is being significantly expanded.

Katandra Gardens is open to the public 5 days each week (Sat, Sun, Mon, Thurs and Fri) from 10.00am to 5.00pm. as well being open for Garden Tours 7 days a week by appointment. The Gardens also has B&B accommodation and self-contained cottages where visitors are able to stay at the gardens 7 days a week. Phone: 03 5964 4523. Further information can be obtained from the web site.

Located at 49 Hunter Rd, Wandin 3139. Mel 121 C3

Admission charges now apply - Ring (03) 5964 4523 for details.

Maranoa Gardens, Balwyn

The Maranoa Gardens are about 12km east of Melbourne and are accessed from the end of Parring Road, Balwyn. There are 4 main areas: Temperate Woodland/Heathland, Dry Arid Rockery, Dry Sclerophyll Forest, Fernery.

The Gardens have some very old trees and shrubs as well as younger specimens from around Australia. There are some enormous examples of Callistemon species, as well as fine specimens of the Firewheel Tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus) and the spectacular Eucalyptus rhodantha, among many others.

The Gardens are open 7 days per week except Christmas day and Boxing Day.

Monash University, Clayton

Landscaping of the grounds of Monash University made use of a great many native species, sometimes in unusual situations (eg prostrate species on narrow roadway dividing strips. There is a great range of plants including some really interesting species. None of the plants are labelled, however, as this is not primarily a display garden.

A recent addition is the "Collector's Garden". The major theme is a large collection of Melaleuca species (Monash University is the site for housing the Melaleuca collection for the Ornamental Plant Collection Association).

The campus is at Clayton, about 20km south east of Melbourne.

Peter Francis Points Arboretum, Coleraine

The Points Arboretum is claimed to contain the largest collection of Eucalyptus species in the Southern Hemisphere as well as significant collections of other Australian plants.

The Arboretum is open daily and admission is free. Picnic facilities, toilets and a playground are available. Coleraine is 320 km west of Melbourne and the Arboretum is 2.2 km south of the Coleraine Post Office off the Portland-Coleraine Road.

There is also the Eucalyptus Discovery Centre being run in conjunction with the Points Arboretum. It is housed in the old Shire Offices - further information from the Manager on 03 5575 2222.

Pomonal Wildflower Nursery and Gardens, Pomonal

The Wildflower Nursery and Gardens are adjacent to the Grampians National Park in western Victoria, about 3 hours drive from Melbourne, and contain over 800 species in 140 genera. Many of the species endemic to the Grampians may be seen in addition to a wide range of plants from other parts of Australia. The gardens have been developed over fifteen years and mature specimens of many rare and beautiful species may be seen.

Flowering is at its peak in spring, but there is always something of interest at other times of year. Many of the plants featured in the garden are available for sale in the nursery.

The Garden is open daily and is located in Wildflower Drive, Pomonal, 3381 (12 km from Halls Gap in the Grampians). There is no charge for entry.

Rainforest Centre, Orbost

The outdoor area of the Rainforest Centre includes landscaped gardens planted with local rainforest species, walkways, streams, waterfalls and informative signs. Inside there are displays and audio-visuals featuring the rainforests of the East Gippsland area.

Orbost is in East Gippsland about 300 km east of Melbourne. The Centre is located in Lochiel Street, Orbost, 3888. There is no charge for entry.

Royal Park, Parkville

The Royal Park Native Garden is located near the corner of Gatehouse St and Royal Parade, Parkville. The Park is still in the process of being redeveloped and planted with native plants.

It is understood that explorers Burke and Wills started their trek from Royal Park.

Wartook Gardens, Halls Gap

Wartook Gardens is situated in the beautiful Wartook Valley, on the western edge of the massive 1670 square kilometre Grampians National Park, in western Victoria. It is three and a half hours driving time from Melbourne, via the Western Highway to Ararat, and into Halls Gap, on the main Horsham - Halls Gap Road, just 28 kilometres from Halls Gap.

The gardens currently occupy 2 hectares with an additional 4 hectares of plantation planting, Wartook Gardens contains approximately 1,000 species of Australian plants. Over 100 bird species have been recorded in the gardens so far.

Wartook Gardens is also a traditional Bed & Breakfast (Homestay) and can accommodate up to 6 guests. It offers facilities such as: an inground swimming pool, air conditioning and magnificent mountain views from each room.

Viewing times are daily from September to May, 10am - 5pm. Teas are available by appointment. Further information can be obtained from the web site.

Predominantly Natural Areas

Blackburn Lake Reserve, Blackburn

An area of clay soils wildflowers about 20 km east of Melbourne. Many heath species including Xanthorrhoea, Dichopogon, Hibbertia, Platylobium etc. There was an excellent floral display in 1995 after a fire in 1994.