wilson botanic park

What a great way to showcase Berwicks beautiful Wilson Botanic Park. The evening started with a choice of red or white wine or punch with delicious cheese and cold meat platters. Strolling though the gardens on our way to the outdoor cinema we had the opportunity to have romantic snaps taken with a variety of dress ups for a bit of fun. We also passed an old fashioned fairy floss stand, complete with a friendly man dressed with bow tie making fresh fairy floss. As we settled in with our picnic basket, (provided at extra cost or BYO option), live music was provided for us until it was dark enough to begin screening the movie. Great atmosphere and event you would normally have to travel to the city for. We will definitely be back.

How else can you explain the fact that this beautiful park only 40 minutes from the Melbourne CBD appears to be unknown by so many people I have spoken to? Converted from a stone quarry operating on the site until the late 1970s, and commissioned as a park in 1992, the transformation of this 'hole in the ground' to a top class recreational park is nothing short of sensational. In a short 20 years, the local shire has landscaped this area into 39 hectares of walks, birdlife, turtles, and fauna (with over 1000 plant species). The walks, circumnavigating two separate lakes and a smaller marsh area, are mostly flat, asphalt paths, however the adventurous can venture onto one of the outer ring walks that may be gravel in parts. The attention to the needs of visitors can be seen everywhere, with plentiful seating placed under shady trees in positions to maintain a scenic outlook; BBQs; toilets; a visitors centre, a children's playground and even a designated ball game area. A really beautiful public space for which entry is absolutely free, so do me a favour and keep this one to ourselves - don't tell others it will only spoil the secret!