Tim Neville Arboretum

With the outer east slowly building up and attracting more and more new residents to the area, one difference we have to the west is the amount of greenery we hold dear.
At the foot of the Dandenongs, between Fern Tree Gully and Boronia, sits the Tim Neville Arbouretum, a huge expanse of lakes, fountains and open space that has been a favourite for picnics, weddings and lazy Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember.
As a kid we used to come here on our bikes and tear around the paved track that winds its way through, across the footbridge and past the amphitheatre, that is home to yearly Christmas Carols by Candlelight.
Perfect on a warm day, there are also BBQ’s to use, and plenty of rooms for a large group.

The Tim Neville Arboretum in Ferntree Gully is a perfect spot for an afternoon out with a young family.
There is a large playground that has been recently renovated and is brand new. It has a child safe gates and a fence around it to encourage supervision. It is a pretty popular playground and gets quite busy on sunny days.
The park has two really pretty lakes complete with ducks. There are boardwalks and bridges to walk over and a nice track that meanders all around the park. To appreciate the peace and the beautiful scenery make sure to take a seat at one of the park benches scattered all around — they are perfectly placed for the best views. Although if you are coming for peace and quiet you’d be best off coming during a weekday as on weekends and school holidays there will be kids everywhere.
The Knox Bicycle Track runs alongside the park making it a great picnic lunch spot if you’re going on a big ride. Kids often ride their bikes around the tracks in the park and there are plenty of grass areas big enough to kick a ball around and be more active.
Supervision of kids is essential around the lake as there are no barriers or anything to prevent people from falling in. Dogs are common visitors to the park and must be kept on a leash at all times.
The park is really unique in that it caters to every member of the family, young and old and it really is a beautiful spot. Very popular for wedding receptions and events there is a pergola at one end that often plays host to quite a crowd. There are adequate parking spaces available as well as side street parking.