Remembered for its wattle trees Wattle Park offers a serene escape. Wattle Park is located in the Melbourne suburb of Burwood. It is approximately 13 km east of Melbourne’s CBD. This public park is known for its plantation of 12000 wattle trees. Maintained by Parks Victoria, Wattle Park provides open space. It is perfect for recreation, sports and even weddings.
Wattle Park officially opened on 31 March 1917. Sir Arthur Stanley planted a Golden Wattle and named the park. The Hawthorn Tramway Trust purchased the 137 acres of land. They bought it from Eliza Welch. She stipulated it be used as a public park.
Let’s explore Wattle Park’s unique features. Discover its rich history. The Wattle Park Chalet is a highlight. It was built in 1928 as a tea-house and function venue. Alan Monsborough designed it. Its rustic Tudor style reflects the influence of English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Recycled materials give the Chalet character. Timber beams came from earlier structures. Roof slates were sourced from the former Yarra Bend Asylum. Bricks originated from cable tram engine-house chimneys. Even the paving in the courtyard has a past. It was recycled from the former tramway engine house on Alexandra Avenue and old cable tram sheds. Today the Chalet remains largely in its original form. Set among beautiful gardens, it is a popular venue for receptions, functions and meetings.
The Lone Pine near the main carpark is another significant landmark in Wattle Park. This tree is listed on the National Trust’s Significant Tree Register. It is one of the country’s few original Lone Pines. The seed came from a cone collected by an Australian soldier. He was involved in the Gallipoli Campaign. Planted in Wattle Park on 8 May 1933 the tree serves as an ANZAC memorial. It pre-dates the one at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance by a month. It also pre-dates the one at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra by seventeen months.
Approximately one-third of Wattle Park is a heritage place. Heritage Victoria and the National Trust of Australia have classified the park.
Wattle Park is home to diverse flora and fauna. It contains areas of indigenous remnant bushland. The Urban Fauna Survey Unit considers this site regionally significant. It has a high diversity of native fauna. Twenty butterfly species and sixty beetle species live here. Frogs, bats, skinks, ringtail and brushtail possums also call this park home. Bird life includes kookaburras, rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, galahs and gang-gang cockatoos.
George William Tickner, the Head Landscape Gardener, played a crucial role. He planned the tennis courts, golf course, pond and walking tracks. He also designed many other structures in Wattle Park.
Wattle Park has strong ties to Melbourne’s tramways. Two heritage W-Class trams offer shelter. Tram route 70 runs along the park’s northern boundary. The Melbourne Tramways Band plays here once a month during spring and autumn.
Today Wattle Park is more than just a park. It is a blend of history, nature and recreation. With its all-abilities playscape picnic grounds and walking tracks it offers something for everyone.
Before you leave Wattle Park take a moment. Remember the vision of Eliza Welch. She wanted to create a space for the community. Think about the trams that once shaped this place. Consider the soldiers who fought at Gallipoli. They brought a piece of that history here. Wattle Park is a living testament to Melbourne’s past. It’s a vibrant space for its future.