New Gargarro Regional Botanic Gardens opens in Victoria’s Campaspe Region

More parklands are on offer to be explored by locals and visitors following the opening of the Gargarro Regional Botanic Gardens in Victoria’s Campaspe Region.

The project includes a sensory garden and the green thumbs nursery which was completed in 2021. Located in Girgarre, the four-hectare sensory garden is part of the project’s second stage which showcases the region’s colourful and unique indigenous plants that embrace themes of five senses – taste, touch, sight, smell and sound.

This stage also delivers a water feature and lookout to take in the gardens natural scenery while educating visitors about the region’s plant life. Some of the flora on display is endangered with the gardens providing a place to preserve local species.

The gardens are being backed by more than $1.6 million from the Victorian Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund and Stronger Regional Communities Plan.

The Federal Government has also contributed funding to deliver an on-site café offering a place for visitors to relax and enjoy the new sensory space.

Victorian Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing notes “our support for this project from delivery to completion has meant that Girgarre and the wider Campaspe region now have a brand-new botanic garden unique to this beautiful part of regional Victoria.”

The gardens are located on land formerly owned by the Heinz group. The factory operated in Girgarre until its closure in 2012 when Heinz gifted the land to the community enabling the creation of the gardens.

Girgarre is a town in the Campapse Shire and is home to live music events including the Girgarre Moosic Muster and monthly Girgarre Farmers’ Produce and Craft Market.

The Regional Infrastructure Fund is part of the Government’s flagship Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund. The Fund is key to the Government’s more than $36 billion investment across regional and rural Victoria since 2015.

The gardens are open from 7:30am to 5:00pm every day.

For more information on the gardens go to www.gargarrobotanicgarden.com.au/