Australian Gardens & Reserve, Cranbourne - February 2019

Ephemeral Lake Sculpture, Australian Garden.

I’ve been wanting to head over to check out these gardens for long time but have never got around to actually making it happen. The main thing that has held me back is the fact that the gardens are really popular and I’m never overly keen on crowds. Having a Friday afternoon free I decided that today was the day. The good news this afternoon was that I didn’t have to go far from home for this stroll, less then 20 minutes after leaving my driveway I was parking in the extensive car park.

The entry into the gardens doesn't really prepare you for what is inside, I don't think.

There is plenty of information around.

Now I have a bit of an issue with this post, yes the problem is that I don’t really know what to call it. On the ground the gardens seem to be called the Cranbourne Botanical Gardens, the brochure / map that I picked up at the visiter centre is called the Cranbourne Gardens Map. The manicured gardens part of the stroll is called the Australian Garden and my walking guide book calls this walk Australian Gardens and Reserve, Cranbourne. Actually now I’ve put all that down I think I’ll go with the title out of the guide book as it sounds about right.

I was heading on a big loop to the south east end of the park before coming back to check out the gardens. 

My track climbed through native bush and up onto a dune.

To start off this afternoon I was heading out into the extensive native bush ‘reserve’ section of the park. My first point of interest was a spot called the Trig Point Lookout, to get there I followed the crest of a long, vegetated dune and even before reaching the lookout platform I was already starting to get some good long range views. After shuffling past a ‘share the path with snakes’ in my Tevas I arrived at the lookout. Trig Point Lookout is a little on the modest size but with the structure perched on top of a dune it still allowed for some good views, in one direction I could see Port Phillip Bay and in the other direction Westernport Bay was even closer, looking north east the green smudge of the Dandenong Ranges drew the eye.

Not too many people out here.

I'd worn my snake proof Teva's for this stroll. 

Weternport Bay

Port Phillip Bay, with the You Yangs in the distance.

That's my on going route.

After leaving the lookout I dropped down the meandering gravel and sand track and took the short side trip down to the now bone dry Perched Swamp. If you’ve ever been up on Fraser Island you’ll now how these perched lakes work, basically a layer of vegetation prevents the water from seeping down into the water table, although vegetation can’t stop evaporation unfortunately. Keeping a close eye on my map I re-joined the main track and dropped to turn right onto Manna Track and then right again onto the Wetlands Walk. Now that all sounds pretty ho hum but it was along here that I had my best experience for the day when I stopped for a quick slash. Hearing a rustling in the bush beside the track my first thoughts were of my exposed toes and a snake, but after a little cautious investigation I spied a small Bandicoot foraging about on the forest floor, now that’s something I don’t see every day (or decade, for that matter) on a walk, sweet!

Trig Track made for fairly easy walking.

The perched swamp was pretty dry on this visit.

This is pretty typical of the native bushland on this stroll.

Trig Track

I bumped into this Bandicoot down on the Wetlands Walk.

Soon after my Bandicoot encounter the track emerged onto some extensive grasslands, the golden grass swaying in the afternoon breeze. Keeping right again I continued on along the Wetlands Walk heading back towards some large Stringybarks. The track now passed close by a series of lakes but unfortunately there were plenty of no swimming signs in evidence, I’m guessing the local kids probably had the same idea as me. After turning left I passed between two more lakes and then headed right on Wylies Creek Track. Once on Wylies Creek Track I was once again meandering my way across extensive grass lands.

The bush was alive with wildlife today, it must be nice after some good rain.

After passing through some Tea Trees....

...I emerged onto these grassy plains...

...before climbing a little into this woodland....

....and then passing by a series of these small lakes.

Unfortunately there are no swimming signs up around these lakes.

As I mentioned at the start of this post it was the thought of crowds that had largely held me back from visiting here, walking these open grasslands it was the lack of people that was noticeable this afternoon though, there wasn’t another soul about. Now anyone who's read much of my blog would know that I’m not much of a fan of the Murdoch empire, but there is one Murdoch that I kind of like (well two if you include Sarah, but that’s a whole different story). Yes I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for the late Dame Elizabeth Murdoch, Dame Elizabeth was given the nearby Cruden Farm in 1928 as a wedding present and she lived there for most of her life. Dame Elizabeth seems like she was a very civic minded person and not only did she open up the gardens at Cruden Farm she also donated to the Australian Gardens. There is now a nice shelter beside Wylie Creek Track to honer Dame Elizabeth and, with the Casuarina’s sighing in the breeze, this shelter makes a nice spot to stop for awhile and get out of the elements.

Leaving the lakes I was back heading across the grasslands again.

I passed the Australian Gardens & Reserve Humpy....although this one isn't quite at the 'lock up' stage I don't think.

We should be thankful that this land has been kept out of the hands of the property developers.

The Elizabeth Murdoch Pavillion would make a nice spot for lunch.

Wylie Creek Track now arcs back and heads towards the Visitor Centre near the entrance, on the way passing by one of the last manually checked BOM weather station still in operation in Victoria. Soon after passing through the very extensive (but totally deserted) Woodlands Picnic Ground I arrived back at my start point. Now normally I’d waffle on about taking off my boots and heading home but this afternoon I was heading onto the second part of today’s stroll. So instead of heading for the ute I wandered up to the Visitor Centre, after reluctantly by-passing the café, I headed into the Australian Garden section of the walk.

Apparently this is one of the last manually checked BOM weather stations left in Victoria.

Woodlands Picnic Area & Childrens Playground was impressive (and deserted).

Heading back to the start.

These gardens are very impressive, as soon as I descended the wooden steps I had a huge red clay pan spread out before me, a slightly incongruous site in Cranbourne. Heading left around the Red Sand Garden I walked along the dry creek bed part of the garden, being someone who appreciates our arid and stone country this part of the gardens was highly interesting to me. Reaching the north end of the Red Sand Garden I crossed the Waterhole Bridge, checking out the man made waterfall and lake.

Red Sand Garden

Dry River Bed

Sandstone Country

Looking back up towards the Visitor Centre from the northern end of the Red Sands Garden.

Not really knowing where to go next I headed for Howson Hill (another donor) for a bit of an overview of this part of the gardens. From the top of this modest hill it soon became apparent that I wouldn’t have enough time to fully explore this gem this afternoon, so instead of trying to see everything I started heading back in the general direction of the Vistor Centre. Climbing back up I passed some children paddling in the Rockpool Walkway on what was a beautiful Melbourne summers afternoon, I’ve said it before but we are very lucky to live in such a great country and society I think.

Crossing the Waterhole Bridge I checked out this man made waterfall.

The view from Howson Hill, clearly, with time running out I wasn't going to get a chance to check everything out on this visit.

Melaleuca Splits

The Amphitheatre

The Dirt.
I walked around 7 kilometres and climbed 100 metres on this easy stroll. While there are no steps there is quite a bit of soft sand on the bushland sections of this stroll but really it’s mostly easy going. This walk would be a good one to take with children or the elderly I’m thinking. There is a café at the Visitor Centre and free BBQ’s at Woodlands Picnic Area, there is also a multitude of choices if you want a picnic. To be honest I didn’t have anywhere near enough time to fully explore these great gardens this afternoon (I had to get home to buy a fridge - I kid you not!), so now I know what I’m missing I think I’ll be back sooner rather than later. I roughy followed the notes out of Julie Mundy’s book Melbourne’s Best Bush, Bay & City Walks. There is a free map and notes that you can pick up at the Visitor Centre too.

Relevant Posts.
Langwarrin Fauna and Flora Reserve, 2015.
Lysterfield Lake, 2016.
Churchill to Trig Point, Churchill National Park, 2017.

Home Garden

There is a café and gift shop at the Visitor Centre.

Judging by the size of the car park I'm thinking this place must be very busy on the weekends and public holidays.