What an oasis in the midst of metropolitan Melbourne Wattle Park is! Located on Wurundjeri Country approximately 13 km east of Melbourne’ with significant natural and cultural heritage. It provides an important connection to native bush within a suburban landscape.  Huge gum trees, wattles, seasonal wildflowers and the beautiful historic Chalet set on 55 hectares in the suburb of Burwood. There is SO much to explore here, it’s no wonder it’s been a long time favourite of Eco Explorers.

In the heart of the park is the Wattle Park Chalet, a beautiful reception building made from decommissioned tram engine houses. Within the playground area are two heritage W-class trams, now a source of joy for young and old, and a perfect place for a picnic amongst the trees. There is also a fabulous old bandstand set amongst the grassier areas behind the Chalet. Another point of interest here is that one of only four Lone Pines in Victoria is planted here, near the sports oval. It was planted in 1933 from a seed collected at Gallipoli, as a memory of soldiers killed in World War One.

TOP 5 ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH KIDS AT WATTLE PARK

1. 1. 1. Enjoy a picnic and bush walk – don’t forget to download your nature scavenger hunt pack!
      2. Hop on the tram and go for an imaginary ride!
      3. Listen to the Melbourne Tramways Band play once a month during spring and autumn (weather permitting).
      4. Follow the Wattle Park Self Guided Nature and History Trail
      5. Play a game or tennis or golf

FLORA & FAUNA INFORMATION 

The diverse bush is undulating, and full of criss-crossing walking tracks – there are creeks and filtration ponds throughout the park, and an impressive array of native flora and fauna. Alongside its namesake (10,000 or so wattles were planted at the time of the acquisition of the land for use as a public park back in the 1920’s), you will also find manna gums, yellow box, and one of our favourites, lemon scented gum trees. Wattle Park is also a renowned spot to find native orchids, chocolate lilies, and native grasses such as kangaroo grass. Spring is the perfect time to take a slow stroll through the bush, keeping an eye out for pops of colour on the ground.

There are recorded to be at least twenty species of butterfly, sixty species of beetle, three species of frogs, bats, skinks, ringtail and brushtail possums. The park’s bird life includes kookaburras, rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, galahs, and gang-gang cockatoos. (Parks Victoria “Wattle Park”)

Whilst the playground itself is undergoing a major upgrade to an all-abilities, nature based playscape (set to be completed by the end of 2022), there is still so much uninterrupted nature to enjoy at Wattle Park.