Camperdown 16-19 March

 Camperdown sits on the lower slopes of Mount Leura which, together with nearby Mount Sugarloaf, are part of a large extinct volcanic complex known as the ‘Leura Maar’. To the west of Camperdown are Lakes Bullen Merri and Gnotuk. To the east is Lake Purrumbete, the site of the first European settlement in the district. On the way into Camperdown we stopped for lunch at the Mortlake Pub where I had the best lamb and veggie soup I've ever tasted. We'll be back.

If you love old trees and gardens you must visit the Heritage Listed, historic Camperdown Botanical Gardens and Arboretum. The area was reserved as a park in 1869 and the gardens laid out by botanist and explorer Daniel Bunce; and later refined by William Guilfoyle in 1888. The Park gets lots of visitors with a botanical bent.

It contains century-old trees and a diverse collection of plants from around the world; most I’ve never heard of such as the African Holly. One which caught my eye was the ‘Scottish elm’, Ulmus glabra camperdownii. I didn’t get a photo but its history is fascinating. Commonly known as the Camperdown Elm, it was discovered in the mid 1800s growing in the forest at Camperdown House in Dundee, Scotland. As the story goes, the young tree was lifted and replanted within the gardens of Camperdown House (in Scotland) where it remains to this day. The connection? Scottish roots seem strong here abouts, so in Camperdown Victoria this little Camperdown Elm tree is a rather special. 

The potting shed

An Indian plant that produces a purple flower. Strangely after it flowers the plant dies

Olearia paniculata - a species found only in New Zealand (and here!)

The 'unattended' site office which harks back to an earlier day

We spent some delightful time wandering, exploring and then when we were leaving we were lucky enough to run into the woman responsible for, and passionate driver of, the preservation of the gardens and arboretum, head gardener, Janet O’Hehir. She’s a wealth of knowledge. It’s a marvelous place - quiet, cool, tranquil with amazingly diverse and unusual plants and trees.  A must see for plant lovers and also insect and bird enthusiasts.

This large reserve tops a ‘hill’ between two volcanic crater lakes - Lake Bullen Mierrl and Lake Gnotuk and looks across the Western Victorian volcanic plain. It’s sacred land of the Djargurd wurrung people - Eastern Maar, traditional owners of south-western Victoria. Nearby are several deep volcanic crater lakes. We were staying in the caravan park which strange as it might seem is located within this Heritage site. Stunning views over the crater lakes but the sites are set along an avenue of century old European Linden trees! Seems totally incongruous – but it’s a marvelous spot nonetheless.