Colac Botanic Gardens

The Colac Botanic Gardens are considered one of Victoria's unique regional gardens. The 12 hectare Gardens and Recreation Reserve occupy a site at the northern edge of Colac.

The gardens were developed as a Botanic garden through the second half of the 19th Century. The gardens are significant in a Victorian and Australian context, having been reworked from a plan by William Guilfoyle at the beginning of the 20th Century.

The reserve area is still used for different purposes focused on Lake Colac including rowing, sailing and fishing.

The Botanic Cafe sits to the west of the gardens, offering a nice setting for lunch or afternoon tea.

On the eastern point of the garden's overlooking the Barongarook Creek there is an extensive playground and barbeque facility.

Cost:

Free

Review:

Lovely grass areas dotted with lots of interesting trees. Some features include a gun from HMVS Nelson, fountain, rose arbour, the trees are labelled with their name and origin, sensory garden, playground, jetty on side of Lake Colac, walking path beside the lake, cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, elevated viewing area across the lake, oak lined carriageway, palm bed and lily pond.

There is a Bush Tucker Bed where you can see different plants that the local Aboriginal people once ate. It's not a free lunch since they shouldn't be tasted since different foods have to be prepared in a certain way or eaten at a certain time so they aren't toxic.

Along the side of the lake is the Lake Colac Foreshore Arts Project which is a beautiful mosaic based upon the left hind footprint of a Tachyglossus, an ancient ancestor to the echidna, who roamed the western basalt plains approximately 40,000 years ago. This area also has a lovely carved cyprus pine seat.

Colac Botanic Gardens

A number of walks pass through the Gardens. The Lakeside walk to Stodart Street is 1.7km (25 minutes) and along the shore of Lake Colac there is a 500m walk (7 min) to a Bird Reserve.

There is a huge amount of bird life on the lake and shore.

You could easily spend an hour or more wandering around the gardens. There are water taps and shaded seating scattered about plus tables and BBQs in two locations.