Cloudehill Garden in Olinda
Nature’s paintbrush has marked Melbourne and surrounds red, yellow and orange. Autumn is well and truly here so there is no time to waste – get outside and view those pretty autumn leaves. We’ve done some of the leg work for you already though – sourcing some of Melbourne and surrounds most stunning locations to view the autumn canvas.
The Melbourne CBD
The Fitzroy Gardens have the most spectacular leave displays right now but be prepared for crowds of tourists if you visit on a weekend. If you are wanting to photograph the autumn colours yourself visiting first thing in the morning is a way to avoid the crowds. Always a great place to visit with the family because of the playground, Fairy Tree and model village Fitzroy Gardens really is lovely right now. Just across the road the Treasury Gardens have many trees just waiting to turn. Alternatively visit the Exhibition Gardens near the Melbourne Museum for some great leaf action.
The kids ganged up on me for a leaf fight at the Fitzroy Gardens
The Yarra Valley
Head out to the Yarra Valley to view the autumn vines. Drive out on the Maroondah Highway through Coldstream, or take a backroad via the villages of Eltham and Yarra Glen for miles of red grape leaves. Just past Healesville, the Maroondah Reservoir Park is one of our favourite places for autumn leaving (and throwing). There are good walkways and picnic facilities at this location and if you are feeling energetic you can climb to the top of the reservoir.
More leaf fights at Maroondah Reservoir Park just past Healesville on the Maroondah Highway
The Dandenong Ranges
Autumn leaves in the Dandenong Ranges
The Dandenong Ranges, particularly around the towns of Sassafras and Olinda are spectacularly colourful during autumn. For a small fee you can visit the National Rhododendron Gardens and Cloudhill Gardens which are magical wonderlands. Cloudehill Garden (which costs $10 to visit with children being free) combines sculpture with maze like pathways meandering through the colour.
Cloudehill Garden in Olinda
Macedon
We found our autumn foliage in the gardens of Tieve Tara at Macedon
Towards the Macedon Ranges and into the township of Macedon you find highways lined with autumn colours. Again for a small fee, a visit to the Gardens of Tieve Tara at Macedon is well worth it. This expansive private garden, as well as demonstrating beautiful foliage has playgrounds and fairy gardens which are perfect for children.
Gardens of Tieve Tara
