Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens
The Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens are an outstanding and enchanting place to visit anytime of the day or year. The gardens are built on top of an extinct volcano known as Wombat Hill which can be seen from most locations in Daylesford.
The main entrance to the gardens for vehicles is in Central Springs Road, each side of the Wombat Hill Gardens has an entrance for anyone walking to the gardens from nearby surrounding streets.
There is a scenic drive around the edge of the garden with a central car park near the Pioneer’s Memorial Tower, as you drive around you will see stunning tall trees and amazing views over Daylesford. Walk around the gardens and you will see so much more of these enchanting gardens, with each new discovery you will want to keep exploring down another path and around the next corner.
Each season brings new views and different plants will take their turn to surprise you with stunning colours of flowers or foliage. So it is a great idea to visit the gardens in each season to really experience the beauty of all the plants and flowers at their best.
The Gardens 150th year anniversary was celebrated on the 11th May 2013
Quick Facts
- Free Admission
- Open Dawn to Dusk – Every Day
- Address – Central Springs Road, Daylesford
- Established in 1863 – 150 years old in 2013
- Over ten acres of stunning gardens and views of Daylesford
- One entrance for vehicles which can be parked in the central car park
- Plenty of picnic areas and shade
- ‘Wombat Hill House Cafe’ in is the Gardens
- Amenities available including disabled facilities
- Several entrances for visitors that are walking to the gardens
- Dogs on a leash are welcome
History of the Gardens
In the 1860s Wombat Hill was chosen as the location for the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens. Notable garden designers planned the garden using rare, unusual and beautiful plants for everyone to enjoy for many years to come. 150 years later thousands of visitors every year are enjoying and admiring the stunning gardens.
The scenic driveway was originally built for the ‘horse and cart’ and of course ‘now days’ it is used by cars, the original rotunda was used as a bandstand for regular entertainment. The large Reservoir was constructed in the late 1880s for Daylesford’s water supply and the Pioneer’s Memorial Tower was built in 1938.
In 1948 a small house was built for the head gardener which has recently been renovated for the ‘Wombat Hill House Cafe’.
There are many more historical images of the Daylesford Gardens that show how much it has changed over the decades.
Very old photo taken in the early 1900s of the original rotunda and gardens
Friends of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens
The ‘Friends’ of the gardens meet regularly, grow plants to sell for fundraising, maintain a section of garden and most of all they care about the future of the whole garden in many ways by helping to protect and promote it. They also support the Shire of Hepburn to conserve the garden for the future.
Visit their website Friends of Wombat Hill Gardens
The beautiful and lush fernery
Things To Do in the Garden
The gardens are a place of enchantment and wonder with many things to do
- Drive around the scenic track through the gardens
- Have a relaxing picnic in beautiful surrounds
- Stroll along the paths and amongst the plants and trees
- Climb the Pioneer’s Memorial Tower and admire the high view
- Children have plenty of room to play and run around
- Take your dog for a walk, must be on a leash
- Look up – most trees are over 100 years old and some are quite rare
- Explore all the paths and different garden areas
- Walk around the scenic drive track, take photos at the viewing points
- Relax in the sun or shade and enjoy the amazing view
- Admire the variety and colours of the flowers and foliage on the plants
- Take close up or macro photos of the flowers and foliage
- Find the ‘Monkey Puzzle Tree’ that is on the ‘Treasure Hunt‘ list
- Enjoy a meal or refreshment at the ‘Wombat Hill House’ Cafe
- The Wombat Hill House Cafe ‘Outdoor garden’ section is dog friendly
Recent Images of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens
Great view over Daylesford from the top of Wombat Hill
Click on any of the large photos to start the Slideshow Gallery
Visitors walking towards the Conservatory and Wombat Hill House Cafe
Large grassed area ideal for picnics surrounded by garden with the conservatory and Cafe in the background
The amazing view from the scenic observation point
The rooftop of the Convent Gallery can be seen in the bottom right corner
One of the many garden beds along the paths
From the top of the tower the view is amazing, I love the huge Norfolk Island pine trees, the water reservoir is surrounded by many established trees
From the top of the tower is a view of the surrounding bush
Looking down to the car park and toilets below
Looking over the outskirts of Daylesford and the bush
Some of the paths and tracks are lined with very old trees
Map of the Daylesford Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens
A detailed map of all the features and layout of the garden
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Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens