Wattle Park (Burwood)

Wattle Park's singular appeal comes from a delicate balance between historic buildings, man-made landscape and natural bush. Opened in 1917, the park was modelled on the American trolley parks, designed to draw customers to the end of new tram lines.

Wattle Park is a very popular metropolitan park that has a blend of historic buildings, picnic grounds, recreational facilities and natural bush spread over 55 hectares. Huge gum trees, wattles, seasonal wildflowers and ponds are all significant features. The beautiful historic Chalet, available for function bookings, is set among exotic trees and sweeping lawns.

Things to Do

Relax under a tree and enjoy the birdlife.
Invite friends and family to meet you for a picnic or a barbecue.
Listen to the Melbourne Tramways Band play once a month during spring and autumn (weather permitting).
Play tennis or golf. Golf clubs and buggies are available for hire.
Fly a kite, jog, walk or play cricket on the sporting oval.
Visit the ponds along the eastern creek and look for the ducks and frogs amongst the native rushes.
Follow the Wattle Park Self Guided Nature and History Trail

Facilities

Car parks, toilets, picnic tables, gas barbecues, water, Playground, paths, kiosk at
Golf Pro Shop and an oval.
Lawn and asphalt tennis courts.
Nine-hole public golf course.
Baby changing facilities.

Heritage

In 1915, the Hawthorn Tramways Trust purchased the then rural land from Mrs Eliza Welch for 9,000 pounds on the condition that it was to be used as a public park. It was not until the late 1920s and early 1930s that extensive planning and development commenced with the construction of the Chalet in 1928, curator's cottage in 1932 and most of the sporting facilities over the next few years.

The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and the Wattle League were influential in the planting of 12,000 wattles, natives and ornamental trees between 1926 and 1928.

Fauna

Birds commonly seen include the wattlebirds, kookaburras, rosellas, rainbow lorikeets, galahs, noisy mynahs and gang-gang cockatoos during the breeding season. Less common are the grey currawong (this is their closest breeding site to the city), musk lorikeets and white-browed scrub-wren. Other types of bird life include waterbirds (wood duck and little pied cormorant), birds of prey (brown goshawk and Australian hobby) and nocturnal birds (tawny frogmouth).

Native fauna includes, 20 species of butterfly, at least 60 species of beetle, 3 species of frogs, bats, skinks, ringtail and brushtail possums.

Vegetation

Remnants of many indigenous trees can be seen - manna gum, yellow box, common peppermint, swamp gum, black wattle, blackwood, sweet bursaria and swamp paper-bark. Native grasses and wildflowers such as kangaroo and wallaby grass, chocolate lilies and milkmaids bring the eastern slope alive with colour and insect activity during spring. Orchids and butterfly populations are also a special feature of the park. The lone pine overlooking the oval was sown from seed collected at Gallipoli in memory of soldiers from the 24th Battalion who were killed during World War One.

Looking After the Park

Portable solid fuel barbecues are not permitted, however, portable gas barbecues can be used (except on days of Total Fire Ban).
Please make sure your dog is on a lead and leave your horses and trail bikes at home.
The park policy is "carry in, carry out", so please take your rubbish with you.

Opening Hours:

24/7 access

Access for Dogs:

Dogs are permitted in Wattle Park, but must be kept on a leash at all times.

Note: Photos from Parks Victoria