Australia isn’t known for its autumn foliage—we’ve got a few deciduous trees in tropical regions and only one native temperate deciduous tree which can be found in Tasmania, so Victoria is all out of luck when it comes to natives in Autumn.
But European migration didn’t just bring espresso and kickass Turkish kebabs to Melbourne, it also introduced deciduous trees. British ex-pats may sniff at our idea of autumn leaves, but when you’ve grown up surrounded by eucalypts, any flash of red is going to seem pretty impressive. Generally, you want to head north of Melbourne for the best autumn leaves, or at least up into the hills where the air is cool—Macedon and Mt Dandenong are always good bets.
Get a picnic hamper packed and jump in the car, these are the best spots for autumn leaves in Victoria for 2023:
The Garden At Broughton Hall
JINDIVICK
The Gardens at Broughton Hall in West Gippsland are a taste of Versailles just an hour out of Melbourne. Within the grounds, you’ll frolic through the fourteen zones, including the stunning Yellow Garden and the Pink Garden centred on a huge maple. Expectedly, The Garden is a prime spot for Autumn leaves this season along with all other things bucolic. Broughton Hall will also be offering free entry to all mums this mother's day, so start planning that day trip with the old lady right about now.
Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens
MOUNT DANDENONG
You don’t really need to visit a proper garden to get a good look at autumn leaves in Dandenong. Ash trees, Maple trees and Liquid Amber line most of the roads. But the Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens are kind of special. Take the turnoff just before you get to Sassafras and stop when you get to the carpark.
Entry to the gardens is free and they’re open year-round (except for Christmas Day). Just thank Alfred Nicholas, the guy who invented Aspro painkillers. These are some of the best autumn leaves in Victoria, they're pretty spectacular all through the gardens but wander down to the ornamental lake for that picture postcard Autumn shot of golden ginkgo leaves over the water.
Arthurs Seat State Park
MORNINGTON PENINSULA
Take a Sunday drive down the Mornington Peninsula and let the trail autumn leaves guide your route. Just outside Melbourne’s doorstep lies a colourful array of foliage, made even dewier by the cool sea breeze. Arthurs Seat State Park stands out as the perfect spot to stop for a picnic, resting at the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula. Look out over Port Phillip Bay while marvelling at the 84-acre ground covered in autumn leaves and spy all the different winding tracks leading off the main drag.
Carlton Gardens
CARLTON
If you missed the Autumn Night Garden at Melbourne’s International Flower and Garden show, fear not because Carlton Gardens still has plenty of foliage on show. Right on the edge of the city, you’ll find one this autumn escape is only a short trip from all inner-city dwellers. Immerse yourself in a spectacle of some of the best autumn leaves in Victoria as they fall from the Grand Allee of mature European trees lining the garden's paths. The World-Heritage listed site showcases conifers, palms, evergreen and (most importantly to autumn enthusiasts) deciduous trees. Explore 64 acres of autumnal colours, in a kaleidoscope of red, orange and purple.
Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour
BALLARAT
Don the puffer jackets, Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour is an Autumn crowd favourite. The avenue is lined with 3801 trees, each representing a man and woman from Ballarat who served in World War One. The Ballarat Arch of Victory lies at the end of the strip and the site is famous for being the first of its kind in Australia, as well as the longest memorial avenue in the southern hemisphere. Donate $2 and walk through a spectacle of pin oak, Portugal oak, Turkey oak and Purple-leaved elm tree that wrap the historical afternoon in an autumnal haze.
Gardens Of Glenlyon
GLENLYON
It’s one of those tiny blink-and-you’ll-miss-it country towns. There isn’t much in Glenlyon, but it does have some of the best autumn leaves anywhere in Victoria. Every year the main street lights up in a firework display of reds and oranges. Next time you’re heading to Spa Country, take a detour and stop off at the Glenlyon General Store for a pie and a walk beneath the trees. As pit stops go, it’s pretty awesome.
Tieve Tara
MOUNT MACEDON
Known as the ‘jewel’ of Mount Macedon, the Tieve Tara estate is home to the region’s most famous gardens. It’s definitely worth the $10 entry any time, but especially in autumn when the pine oaks, aspens and copper beaches all transform at once. The ground becomes a carpet of amber leaves—one of those spots where you just can’t take a bad picture. There are 7.5 acres of lawns, lakes and trees to explore, and the gardens open from 10:30am. The best picnic spots generally fill up in peak season, so get in quick and stake out some prime real estate.
The Valley Of Liquidambers
HEATHCOTE
Good name, eh? Liquidambers, FYI, are a species of American sweetgum, and as the name suggests, they look pretty darn fine in the Fall (that’s ‘autumn’ to you and me). Heathcote isn’t exactly on the radar of many day-tripping Melburnians, but it ought to be. The food’s good, there’s vineyards around every bend, and the hillsides come alive in autumn time, especially in the Valley. You’ll find it alongside the McIvor Creek, near the centre of town. The perfect picnic spot.
Cloudehill
DANDENONG RANGES
Sitting at a cool 580m above sea level (practically alpine by Melbourne standards), Cloudehill is right at the top of the Dandenongs, where the air is cool and the soil is all volcanic loam. Perfect for growing pretty much anything, but especially deciduous European trees.
Wander down the Gallery Walk, just east of the entrance, or through the Cool Borders further south—that’s where you’ll find some of the best autumn leaves in Victoria. The gardens are open 7-day from 9am – 5pm and admission is $10. Stretch the legs, then head into Olinda for antiques and scones (or stay put and go full Devonshire in the Cloudehill restaurant). It doesn’t get more Dandenongs than that.
Maroondah Reservoir Park
HEALESVILLE
Not a park that makes its way onto many Best of Melbourne lists, but if you ever stumbled on it, you’ll probably want to keep it a secret too. Maroondah Reservoir Park is down in Healesville and is one of those wildernesses that looks spectacular any time of the year.
In winter the rains fall and waters gush over the big river spillway. In spring the azaleas and rhododendrons (try spelling that one without Google) are in full bloom. And in autumn most of the park breaks out in a crazy tapestry of red and amber foliage, a spectacle of some the best Autumn leaves in just out of Melbourne. Pro tip: Get your iPhone camera ready for the Rose Stairway. It’s an absolute stunner.
Walhalla Goldfields Railway
WALHALLA
This tiny gold rush-era town in Gippsland is home to only 20 permanent residents, so it’s the perfect, tranquil spot to find spectacular displays of autumn leaves. Take a ride on the Walhalla Goldfields Railway through the beautiful Stringers Creek Gorge and Happy Creek—yes, that’s a real place. April is the best time to go, with the majority of the train line zooming through autumnal tapestries of colour. Alternatively, if you want to get your body moving then trek along the Goldfields Rail Trail. Both options are a treat for the eyes.
Fitzroy Gardens
CBD
If you’re just after a hint of Melbourne autumn leaf magic on your lunch break or don’t want to venture too far out of the city, then Fitzroy Gardens is the place to go. These heritage-listed gardens on the doorstep of the CBD are lined with mature elm trees that put on a show of colour every autumn. Take yourself for a stroll or stay a while for a picnic on the lawns, there are 26 hectares of gardens to choose from.
Royal Botanic Gardens
MELBOURNE
You didn’t think we’d leave the Royal Botanic Gardens out, did you? With over 6000 species of trees and 50,000 plants in the gardens, you’re bound to get an eye-full of some of the best autumn leaves Melbourne has on display. The gardens are stunning all year but autumn brings on a whole new realm of colour that’s well worth seeing every single time. We’d recommend heading to the Oak Lawn to find all the crunchy leaves on the ground, it’s also the best spot for photos too.
Now you know where to find the leaves, make a day of it and check out these awesome walks around Melbourne.
Image credit: Rob Blackburn