Tours & Activities
Gardens of the Dandenong Ranges Private Day Tour
Tesselaar Tulip Festival 14th Sept – 13 Oct: Dandenong Ranges Day Tour
At the Tesselaar Tulip Festival there are well over a million spring flowering bulbs on show throughout the festival. There is live entertainment on stage every day, you can wander around the gardens, indulge in traditional Dutch foods and other treats. You can find treasures in the souvenir and market stalls.
Experience the captivating beauty of the Dandenong Ranges, with the Rhododendron Gardens on full display. Immerse yourself in the vibrant colors of lush fern glades and towering mountain ash forests. Explore quaint towns like Sassafras and Olinda, offering designer shops, cozy tea rooms, and delicious eateries.
Don’t miss your chance to witness one of the best garden displays in the southern hemisphere as this is only available for a short time!
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Exploring the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden
The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is Victoria’s leading cool-climate garden. With stunning vistas of the Yarra Valley, the garden has notable collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, and other plants in a setting of native and exotic trees. Seasonal changes make the garden a year-round joy.
The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden boasts 15,000 rhododendrons, 12,000 azaleas, 3,000 camellias, and 250,000 daffodils that bloom in the spring and fall. The garden is home to Australia’s biggest collection of Australian and abroad grown hybrid rhododendrons that cannot be replaced, re-bred, or re-imported.
Cloudehill Gardens: A Fusion of Styles and History
Not many people have the opportunity to create a garden out of an old flower farm. Cloudehill’s design draws inspiration from Italian Renaissance gardens, English Arts and Crafts gardens, and modern meadow gardening. Plants may grow to grandiose proportions because to deep volcanic soil and wet, moderate weather. The two huge weeping maples at the centre of the grounds are really gorgeous. These magnificent trees are ancient, having arrived from Japan in 1928. With so many ‘garden rooms’, you’re bound to find a couple that are at their peak no matter what time of year.
Tranquil Retreat of Alfred Nicholas Gardens and Unique Flora at George Tindale Memorial Garden
The Alfred Nicholas Gardens are the perfect scenic retreat, complete with rock walls, a lovely lake, a boathouse, and picnic spaces. The foliage and flowers steal the show, offering a kaleidoscope of colour in spectacular bloom year-round, from azaleas and orchids to ferns and maple leaves, all beneath a canopy of towering mountain ash trees.
The George Tindale Memorial Garden has a number of species that are rarely grown in cultivation but thrive in the Dandenong Ranges’ acidic soils, chilly temperate temperature, and shadow. Garden aficionados will enjoy the extensive collections of magnolias, rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, and hydrangeas.
The gardens change with the seasons, with a variety of blooms in spring, hydrangeas and lilliums in summer, a canopy of gold, scarlet, orange, and burgundy in autumn, and the blossoms of the Lenten Rose or Hellebore beneath flowering bushes in winter.
Pirianda Gardens: A Labor of Love and Botanical Wonder
The Pirianda Gardens were once Harvey and Gillian Ansell’s own 23-acre garden and residence, bought in 1959. They were donated to the Victorian Government in 1977 and have been administered by Parks Victoria since 1995.
Paths interlink and meander through exotic tree plantings before descending into a stunning fern valley dominated by blackwoods and tree ferns. Some of the walks and steps are lined with 500-metre-long beautiful stone walls erected between the 1960s and early 1980s.
During the overseas trips, the Ansells would look for new and exotic plants to import for their garden, increasing the experience of day visits from Melbourne to the Dandenong Ranges. Twenty-eight distinct Maple and thirteen species of Birch offer a lovely autumnal show, while Rhododendrons and many other blooming plants greet in the spring, making the gardens enjoyable to visit all year.
Highlights of Dandenong Ranges Day Tour
- Tesselaar Tulip Festival and Rhododendron Gardens
- Victoria’s premier cool-climate gardens
- Villages of Sassafras and Olinda
- Knowledgeable and passionate gardener as your guide
- Exquisite Plant Collections
- Year-Round Floral Displays
What’s Included in Day Tours from Melbourne to Dandenong Ranges Day Tour
- Pickup and drive back to your hotel and all entry fees to gardens.
- Morning or Afternoon tea
- We will endeavour to see all of the gardens however we may only get to 3 or 4 gardens depending on time and fitness levels. Some of these gardens can be hilly in parts.
- Knowledgeable and passionate gardener as your guide
- Flexible and fully customised itinerary
- Luxury vehicle with bottled water
WHAT TO BRING
- Warm jacket, sturdy footwear
Where can I watch the sunset in Dandenong Ranges?
One of the popular spots to watch the sunset in the Dandenong Ranges is SkyHigh Mount Dandenong, offering panoramic views over the surrounding landscape.
What is the best time to visit Dandenong Ranges?
The Dandenong Ranges are beautiful to visit year-round, but spring (September to November) and autumn (March to May) are particularly stunning when the gardens are in full bloom or adorned with vibrant foliage colours.
Are the gardens featured on the tour accessible year-round?
Yes, Melbourne Elite tours offers the opportunity to immerse oneself in the seasonal changes and year-round delights of Victoria’s cool-climate gardens, ensuring a memorable experience no matter the time of year.
What additional experiences are offered on the private day tours?
In addition to exploring the gardens, visitors can admire breathtaking views over the Dandenong Ranges, adding to the enchantment of our tour.
Does it snow in the Dandenong Ranges?
Snowfall in the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria, Australia, is rare but not unheard of. The region experiences occasional snowfall during the winter months, typically between June and August, when temperatures drop low enough for snow to occur. However, snowfall in the Dandenongs is usually light and doesn’t accumulate significantly on the ground.
How big is the Dandenong Ranges National Park?
The Dandenong Ranges National Park covers an area of approximately 3,480 hectares (8,600 acres). It is located in the Dandenong Ranges, east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The national park encompasses diverse landscapes, including lush forests, fern gullies, scenic viewpoints, and abundant wildlife habitats. It is a popular destination for nature lovers, hikers, and those seeking scenic drives and picnics amidst stunning natural surroundings.
