The Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens is a significant destination in Hepburn Shire. The well-loved gardens are a popular site for visitors to Daylesford, and are also enjoyed by our community.

Works are underway on a major project to enhance the visitor experience within the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

The works focus on the central precinct of the main arrival point and activity hub.

The central precinct features large lawn areas, established trees and gardens, and commanding views across the heritage-listed landscape. It also contains major attractions, including the Pioneer Memorial Tower (temporarily closed to the public) and Cascades (temporarily closed for maintenance) – a water feature dating from the early development of the garden.

Adapting these features to new uses and current standards will fully capitalise on the natural and designed beauty of the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens.

The project was a co-funded cooperative between Regional Development Victoria, Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens and Hepburn Shire Council.

The State Government has contributed $500,000, the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens has invested $200,000 and Hepburn Shire will contribute $318,000 and has managed the project.

Ensuring that both the conservation and the heritage values of the gardens are maintained, the project has reinvigorated the Botanic Gardens through landscaping, restoration of unique infrastructure and improvement to amenities to enhance the visiting experience.

The Project will deliver the following:

• More accessible pathways and steps
• Improvements to the Alf Headland Conservatory
• Improvements to the forecourt of the Pioneer Memorial Tower and day basin
• Addition of a recirculating & interactive water-rill feature
• Heritage Conservation to the Day-Basin & new balustrading
• Re-alignment of the parking area

All works are based on the master plan for the gardens, and has created a dynamic, engaging tourist attraction, responsive to both the history and stories of the place and 21st century expectations of a botanic garden.

Creating more accessible pathways and steps - complete

We have installed a new formal stairway from the main entry road to the existing stone and gravel stairs west of the fern grove. This has improved pedestrian access from the main entry to the gardens, connections to the cascades to the east and further connections west of the Alf Headland Conservatory and Wombat Hill House café.

Improvements to the Alf Headland Conservatory - complete

We will refurbish the existing conservatory with new glass to improve the functionality and safety of the glasshouse so that it can house more and different botanical displays.

Improvements to the forecourt of the Pioneer Memorial Tower and day basin - complete

We will create a forecourt to the Pioneer Memorial Tower and day basin as a central arrival point to the garden. This will include installation of new paving and feature planting in keeping with the existing materials palette of the garden. The day basin will be integrated into the surrounding landscape.

Refurbishment to the day basin and fernery cascade waterfall - complete

Introduction of a rill to create the illusion of a water connection to the existing portion of the cascade.