Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden: Melbournes Best Garden

The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is easily one of the best botanic gardens in Australia. Formerly known as the National Rhododendron Garden, this beautiful location is an absolute must-visit for everyone visiting or living in Melbourne.

Wander the many trails, explore the beautiful ponds and enjoy the displays of stunning flowers and Botanics. There’s so much to enjoy in this gorgeous space and everyone’s welcome with plenty of accessible trails and sealed paths.

Throughout this post, I’ll discuss some of the things you may like to look out for when wandering the garden and things that you should know before visiting. So, let’s get into it.

Where Is the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden and How to Get There?

The garden is set within the Dandenong Ranges and is within the suburb of Olinda. And, the easiest way to reach this Melbourne botanic garden is to travel via car.

Travelling by car is the best way to reach this location as you will have direct access and plenty of space to park your vehicle in the dirt car park. You will need to turn onto Georgian Road and find a parking spot in the space provided.

Alternatively, you can reach this location by bus. The bus route that will take you to the gardens is the 688. So, make your way somewhere along the route using another form of transport, and then jump on that line to reach the gardens.

I’d recommend using PTV’s website to find the best route suited to your starting location.

Address: Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, The Georgian Rd, Olinda VIC 3788

Is the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden Worth Visiting?

I truly believe that this Melbourne Botanic garden is a sight worth seeing. There are numerous walking trails, stunning ponds, views galore and of course, gorgeous Botanics and trees to enjoy.

You could easily spend a few hours wandering the different trails and enjoying some time on the grassy hills while soaking up the views.

Furthermore, I highly recommend bringing some lunch or snacks along to spend some time in this blissful garden. It’s a pretty epic spot for a picnic!

Feel free to learn more about the garden and read reviews here.

Entry view to the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden

Opening Hours and Map

First off, you’ll be pleased to know that there is no entrance fee to enter the stunning gardens. However, feel free to donate some money to help maintain the gardens. A little definitely goes a long way and I’m sure you’ll be happy to give a gold coin donation.

Unfortunately, there are no dogs allowed in the garden, so you’ll have to leave your four-legged friend at home.

In terms of opening hours, they go as the following listed below. I would recommend getting to the gardens in the morning to allow for plenty of time for wandering.

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10 AM – 5 PM

Please note: Last entry to the garden is at 4:30 PM

Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden map

Facilities

There are a number of facilities available in the gardens. First up, there are public toilets available. These can be found down one of the first roads and on the right. They are quite easy to reach and you will see signage to tell you where to go.

Secondly, there is a cafe and souvenir store on site. This is a great spot to grab a coffee or some food right before you begin your walk. There’s nothing better than warming up with a hot cup of coffee or tea on a cool morning while getting some fresh air.

Thirdly, there are a number of drinking fountains scattered throughout the garden. Moreover, this is an excellent opportunity to refill a water bottle to quench your thirst. Let’s avoid plastic bottles and keep reusing what we already have!

Finally, there are shelters and pergolas that you can sit in to dodge any wet weather or extreme rays. I think this is a great spot to relax for families or groups as there are some pretty scenic pergolas along the way.

Best Time of Year to Visit

For the most part, spring and winter are the best times of year to visit. Moreover, this is when the weather is much cooler, however, the flowers will be in full bloom and looking absolutely stunning.

I would recommend trying to choose a day with minimal fog so that you can have a clear vision of the surrounding valleys and enjoy the views.

Keep in mind, this garden is at a higher altitude and is quite frequently much cooler than the rest of Melbourne. So, be sure to rug up warm and wear plenty of layers!

Rhododendrons in full bloom

Things to Do at the Garden

Walking Trails

There are plenty of walking trails that you can enjoy throughout the Dandenong Ranges Botanic garden. Moreover, you can wander along sealed paths, dirt tracks and rocky tracks.

For the most part, you can simply complete a long loop of the garden, and wander along the lake and past all the lawns. Along the way, you’ll come across everything you need to see.

I’d recommend taking a quick picture of the map before you go so that you can be sure to hit all the must-see points along the way. There are different lookouts to enjoy, many gardens, lawns, tea houses and so much more.

Finally, if you want to extend your walk, I recommend taking the additional trail right out the back. This is a great way to get some extra steps in, see some stunning trees and potentially come upon some wildlife.

Various walking trails throughout the garden

Botanics

There is a massive range of flowers to see, and I suppose it wouldn’t be a botanic garden without them! For the most part, the garden favours rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, daffodils and cherry blossoms.

Nonetheless, there are loads of others to see and I’ve photographed a few below. You can get some incredibly beautiful photos in this garden and I think it’s an awesome opportunity to take some flicks.

My favourite flower in the garden is the Pride of Madeira. It’s incredibly beautiful with a striking purple colour and the bees absolutely love it!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and read all the different signposts for information on the flowers.

(L-R): Rhododendrons, Pride of Madeira, Azaleas

Viewpoints

You can wander almost anywhere through this garden and be guaranteed a pretty spectacular view. Whether it be over the garden, or over the Yarra Valley region.

One of the best spots to enjoy the views is near Serenity Point. It’s one of the highest spots in the garden and there is some space between the trees where you can look out.

Finally, this would be an awesome spot to set up a picnic as there is plenty of grassy space, lovely views and beautiful rhododendrons surrounding the area.

Views at Serenity Point

Ponds

There is one main, large pond that you will get to see upon entry of the garden. It’s quite a large space and it’s incredibly beautiful with all of the plants, trees, bridges and flowers surrounding the space.

Moreover, this is the most easily accessible location and is likely one of the most beautiful spots of the entire garden. I recommend spending some time wandering around the lake to enjoy the different views of it.

Pergolas

There are a few pergolas and shelters throughout the garden. They’re scattered pretty evenly throughout the entire area and are a nice spot to relax for a moment while enjoying the serenity of the gardens.

Some of them you can take shelter in, and some of them are merely for looks. Nonetheless, they’re a beautiful accent to the garden and a lovely sight to see.

Fields

There are loads of fields and grassy spaces throughout the garden. The main grassy lawn is the Protea Garden. And, this is definitely one of the best spots to set yourself up and enjoy a picnic.

Nonetheless, there are a couple of other nice spots to hang out, but this is definitely the main spot to be. Feel free to wander some of the other gardens and find a nice spot to relax.

Wildlife

There is a bunch of different wildlife that you can come across within the garden. You’ll be sure to see plenty of native birds including lyrebirds and kookaburras, and also maybe some wombats, lizards and deer.

I was pretty surprised to see a deer hanging out in the grass, and it was my first time seeing one in the wild in Australia!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and make sure children are on the lookout.

Additional Activities in the Dandenong Ranges

Another fantastic location that you may want to check out is the stunningly beautiful Alfred Nicholas Garden. Moreover, this beautiful garden is on a large property with scenic ponds, pergolas, wooden bridges and a boatshed.

It’s an incredibly beautiful location for an afternoon stroll, and I highly recommend checking it out.

Secondly, you may want to explore some of the walking trails within the Dandenong Ranges. I’ve written up a blog post including the top five walks in the region that I think everyone needs to complete.

Finally, be sure to check out some of the waterfalls in the area. There are some stunning cataracts to enjoy, and it’s a perfect family day activity.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, these are some of the best things you can do while visiting the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, and I hope this post has given you some insight as to what to expect.

It truly is a stunning place and there are so many incredible parts of it that you can explore. The landscaping of the garden is immensely beautiful and the lawns are perfectly manicured.

I absolutely think that everyone needs to visit this garden at least once! You will be blown away by how gorgeous it truly is.

Finally, if you would like to discover more about the Dandenong Ranges or Victoria, feel free to check out this section of my blog. I have loads of different travel guides, places to visit and things to do when visiting this region. Happy reading!