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Horsham is the largest city in the Wimmera wheat growing and sheep grazing district in western Victoria. It is located between Stawell and Dimboola, on the main highway linking Melbourne and Adelaide.
Set on the banks of the Wimmera River, Horsham features a large commercial centre that lies mainly between Firebrace Street and Darlot Street. The city includes an art gallery, botanical gardens and several attractive parks along the river. Weir Park, at the western end of town is a popular spot, named after the weir which spans the Wimmera River at this point and also features a boat ramp.
Surrounding Horsham are vast wheat fields, pastoral land, and colourful fields of wildflowers. To the south-east, along the Western Highway, are the Wimmera Lakes which form part of the Wimmera-Mallee irrigation system. Green Lake offers a swimming beach and boat ramp when water is available.
Horsham is a handy base to explore the region's nearby natural attractions which include the Grampians National Park, the Little Desert National Park, and Mount Arapiles which is located 35 kilometres west of Horsham via Natimuk, and is widely regarded as one of the top rock climbing areas in Australia.
The Grampians
The Grampians National Park is one of Victoria’s most popular holiday destinations. Renowned for its breathtaking rocky views, rich Aboriginal culture, European heritage and stunning spring wildflower displays, there is plenty to see and do in this rugged ancient landscape. Declared in 1984, the 168,000 hectare National park is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals, many of which are endemic to the park.
Hosting over 1 million visitors each year, popular activities include bushwalking, camping, picnicking, nature study, rock-climbing, bike riding and fishing. The extensive network of roads makes car touring to surrounding villages another great way to explore.
Little Desert
The Little Desert National Park is situated 375 km north-west of Melbourne. The three blocks of the park have a rainfall range of 400 mm per year in the north-east to 600 mm in the south-west. The range of soil types causes marked differences in vegetation across the areas. Here in the Little Desert - a desert in name only - you can discover how many species of plants and animals have succeeded, on poor soils with little water, in creating a kind of arid landscape where survival depends on maintaining a delicate balance of natural forces. The best time to visit the park is between late winter and early summer when the temperatures are comfortable and the park is full of blossoms and wildflowers. The eastern block is the most accessible. |
May Park Motor
Lodge
2 Darlot St Horsham
VIC 3400 Australia
1800 032 905
Ph: (03) 5382 4477
enquiries@mayparkmotorlodge.com.au |
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Horsham
Council
Horsham
Gallery
Grampians
Little Desert
Visit
Grampians
Botanic Gardens
Horsham Botanic Gardens date back to 1878, when a block of 16 ha (40 acres) was reserved on the north side of the Wimmera River. However, what you see today is nothing like the wide open parkland originally intented. There are several distinct areas: the formal gardens, which most people know as “The Botanical Gardens”; a wetlands area; the riverside; the "urban woodland"; the tennis and croquet clubs; and the caravan park. The formal gardens contain a number of specimen trees, some being among the first planted soon after 1880. There are shaded lawns, flower beds (a dahlia bed has become a tradition), a rose garden, barbecue and play area, and even a pond in the shape of Australia. The site is a significant aboriginal site, with some of the trees around the wetland showing signs of bark removal well before European settlement. This is recognised by a memorial in the north-west corner of the reserve.
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