Dandenong Ranges Nature Photography » The Dandenongs

Holiday Season – more gardens

Kathie Thomas — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:33:31 +0000

Cloudehill is another wonderful garden to visit – but it’s more than that. It’s also a nursery and has a cafe where they cook their own produce from their magnificent vegetable garden. A must see all year round really. They also have a couple of books – one very large one with the story of the development of the garden and a smaller one with pictures of the garden all year round.

In the summer they have Shakespeare playing in their beautiful amphitheatre. It’s also a popular place for weddings and for portraits to be shot. If you’ve not been there before, do yourself a favour, and book a date with yourself to go.

Below: The steps up to the cafe – but you can also get to it from the carpark without having to climb steps.

Below: This is the entry to the theatre area. The hedge near the back/bottom is the wall of the theatre.

Below: Entry to their magnificent vegetable garden.

Below – both photos. The gardens in springtime.

Holiday Season – visit some gardens

Kathie Thomas — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:07:14 +0000

There’s a lot of gardens to visit in the Dandenong Ranges. You could pick almost any major road and see a sign leading to a garden to visit. Alfred Nicholas gardens is just out of Kallista heading up towards Olinda and is worth visiting. You could come across any number of photographers at one of the ponds or lakes almost any day. I like visiting early in the morning but all times of the day are good. The following gives you a bit of an idea of what you can expect to see. It’s a great place for picnics, walks, and family time together.

Resting place

Kathie Thomas — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:51:05 +0000

Went to a Christmas lunch at a new friend’s place and just had to explore her garden. Found this gorgeous spot there.

Driving up Monbulk Road on a Misty day

Kathie Thomas — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:21:59 +0000

When I went to visit our daughter a few days ago it was one of those misty low lying cloud type of days. This is what I saw on the road.

Rather beautiful don’t you think?

Travelling the Puffing Billy

Kathie Thomas — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:28:16 +0000

As I mentioned recently, my husband and I had guests from interstate and we spent a day with them on the Puffing Billy train. The train leaves from Belgrave and travels to Emerald Lake Park and then moves on to Gembrook. We chose to go as far as Emerald Lake Park, have lunch and wander around and then catch the train back to Belgrave. That, in itself, was a pretty full day. There were a lot of carriages on the train when we caught it and two engines pulling them but once we got to Menzies Creek many of the tourists got off to get on buses and the extra carriages taken off and we were put back to one engine only. In reverse, the second engine was added back on when we got back to Menzies Creek.

It was a long train and yes, people do sit hanging their legs out of the windows.

Coupling back up after removing one of the engines.

All aboard! Leaving Emerald Lake Park station.

Returning back to Belgrave. The two engines pull the carriages across the historic Trestle Bridge.

The beautiful gardens at Cloudehill

Kathie Thomas — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:15:32 +0000

If you live in Melbourne (Australia) or perhaps pay a visit sometime, it’s worth coming up to the Dandenong Ranges to explore. There is so much to see. We recently had three friends staying with us and over the 4 days I took them to Grant’s Picnic Grounds, Emerald Lake Park, Cloudehill, Alfred Nicholas Gardens and my husband I spent a day on the Puffing Billy train with them also. Below are more pics of the beautiful gardens of Cloudehill, which is in Olinda. Be prepared to spend a few hours there – lots to see, smell, touch, enjoy.

These paths change with the seasons.

These stairs lead to their wonderful restaurant where the vegetables and fruits are from their own gardens.

Spring flowers

Kathie Thomas — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:09:00 +0000

The beauty of spring is well and truly with us now here in Victoria, Australia. These were taken at Cloudehill recently – a favourite place to visit. You can find out more about Cloudehill Nursery and grounds here.

It makes me feel that I should be out in my own garden. They’re not forecasting too much rain for this weekend, perhaps I might!

Not the Golden Leaves

Kathie Thomas — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:31:43 +0000

Do you remember this image from Anzac Day earlier this year?

Well, this is what that looks like now. Amazing the difference a season makes to a scene and the time of day too. Above was at sunrise.

Visiting Alfred Nicholas Gardens

Kathie Thomas — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:44:23 +0000

I’ve had guests from interstate for a few days so I took them on a whirlwind tour of a few of my favourite places here in the Dandenong Ranges. Below are a couple of shots of the lake at Alfred Nicholas Gardens – always beautiful the year round.

Beautiful day in Olinda

Kathie Thomas — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:25:05 +0000

Went to Cloudehill today with friends and it was beautiful in spring colours!