The beauty of each season can be experienced in Olinda, one of the highest villages in the Dandenong Ranges. The colors during autumn and spring are brilliant. The summers are crisp and a layer of snow occasionally blankets the town. The many antique, handicraft and art galleries are worth visiting. On a cold day, be sure not to miss a sample of scrumptious Devonshire tea.
National Rhododendron Gardens
Olinda also offers some of the most beautiful gardens in Australia. One should see the National Rhododendron Gardens in addition to strolling through the mystical sculptures concealed in the William Ricketts Sanctuary. The Dandenong Ranges National Park is the perfect place to meander through ferns, looking for lyrebirds, while RJ Hamer Arboreturn offers a brilliant forest hike to Olinda Falls.
Scattered along the Olinda’s roads are stalls that sell garden produce, flowers, eggs, chestnuts, home-made preserves and a variety of plants. Unique Australian fauna, including emus, wombats, possums, echidnas and lyrebirds can all be seen walking around Olinda.
Each village in Mt Dandenong and Sassafras has antique galleries and shops that sell locally made jewellery, glass, pottery, leather, and ceramics.
Olinda can be found about 44 kilometres, or an hour’s drive, east of Melbourne.
Visit our accommodation website to find Olinda Accommodation options.
