It was a perfect summer morning when we set of on our Christmas trip to Mt Dandenong. The first stop was Observatory Road where we enjoyed a delicious morning tea of scones, jam and cream at the Sky High Restaurant. We had plenty of time to take in the fabulous views over the eastern suburbs to the city and Port Phillip Bay.
Next we drove on to Sherbrooke to the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens where we met our guide, Mark, from Parks Victoria. He spent the next hour or so explaining the history of the gardens and adjoining 1930’s mansion, Burnham Beeches, built for ‘Aspro’ magnate, Alfred Nicholas.
We enjoyed a leisurely stroll down the winding paths, stopping to look at the now derelict Art Deco house (soon to be transformed) The trees are magnificent and range from the enormous mountain ash to beautiful liquid ambers and various conifers, all interspersed with huge tree ferns.
The lush tree canopy is full of native birds and we were lucky enough to see many kookaburras. Heading downhill we saw lots of waterfalls and water features all making their way down to the ornamental lake at the bottom of the hill. The lake is host to many ducks, wooden bridges and a boathouse. The climb back up to the bus was strenuous, but there are many well placed seats to stop and rest and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Admiring the various hydrangeas, in full summer bloom, on the way back to the bus took our minds off the steepness. We were definitely ready for our big Christmas lunch at the Mt Dandenong Hotel. It was a great day to finish off a busy, interesting and inspiring year for our club members.
