The air is crisp, the sky a canvas of deep blue flecked with clouds. All around, the towering mountain ash trees of the Toolangi State Forest stand like silent sentinels. Welcome to Toolangi, a quiet village nestled amidst the Yarra Ranges. This little town has a rich history, one steeped in timber and hardship. The original inhabitants of this land were the Taungurung people, who called the area “Toolangi,” a word that means “stringybark.”
European settlers arrived in the 1860s, drawn to the towering mountain ash, a resilient and easily split timber. Toolangi became a hub of timber milling, with sawmills popping up throughout the area. The famous Australian poet C.J. Dennis was captivated by this rugged landscape and made Toolangi his home in 1915. He built “Arden,” a two-story house, on a property he bought for 22 pounds. Today, the remnants of his garden remain, lovingly maintained by Jan and Vic Williams, who run “The Singing Gardens” tea rooms, a tribute to Dennis’s poetic legacy.
Toolangi has weathered its share of adversity. The infamous Black Saturday bushfires ravaged the area in 2009, claiming two lives and destroying 18 homes. The town and a small segment of the forest, however, stood strong. Despite the challenges, Toolangi continues to draw people seeking a connection with nature. Now, visitors can explore the area’s diverse flora and fauna through several local walking tracks. The “Forest Sculpture Trail,” for instance, features nine works by renowned international sculptors.
Toolangi is a place where time seems to slow down, where the rhythm of nature dictates the pace of life. Take a deep breath, listen to the whispers of the wind through the leaves, and let the serenity of this special place wash over you.