The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden

The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is situated on the Georgian Road off the Olinda Monbulk Road. It is a 36 hectare site featuring over 15,000 rhododendrons, 12,000 azaleas, 3,000 camellias, 250,000 daffodils and countless cherries. The garden was formerly known as the National Rhododendron Garden.
There is a main car park before the entrance to the gardens. The side car park contains one designated disabled parking space 3.6 metres wide. The carpark is sealed with direct access to the sealed walkway that leads to the side entry gate.
Directly opposite the main entry and beyond the car park are four more designated disabled parking spaces. These spaces are 3.2 metres in width.

Directly inside the gate is the Visitorís Centre and gift shop.
Accessible toilet facilities and a baby change room are located off the deck at the back of the centre. The facility is large with plenty of maneuvering room, side and rear grab rails for the toilet, a changing table and accessible hand basin. This is a unisex facility.
The main entry into the gardens is via the rear deck and ramp. The ramp is steep and has a moderate cross slope. The staff will open the main road gate for easier access to the garden.

From the visitors centre there are two choices to enter the pathways around the garden. Immediately below the visitors centre is the Main Trail. The first 100 metres of this path is steep with gradients up to approximately 1 in 7. After the initial descent there is a lookout over the Rockery below. The main trail continues through the Magnolia Lawn, the Conifer Lawn, Lyrebird Garden, Cherry Tree Grove, Protea Garden and the Camellia Garden. This section is approximately 1.5 kilometres in length with moderate to easy gradients of less than 1 in 14. In addition to the gardens there are spectacular mountain views. Beyond the Camellia Garden the path drops away around the corner to the Maddenii Lawn, with gradients as steep as 1 in 6. From the Maddenii Lawn the path loops around and heads back towards the entrance and there is a long steep climb below Serenity Point to Cherry Tree Grove. This section can be avoided by taking the link path from the main trail at Lyrebird Garden through Conifer Lawn. This link path is sealed and has a maximum gradient of 1 in 14. The path to the lake has a moderate maximum gradient of 1 in 14.
The lake has a fully accessible viewing Rotunda and a boardwalk along the path.
Beyond the lake the path climbs initially at a gradient approaching 1 in 10 before a steep section through the Rockery. The steepest section through the Rockery approaches a gradient of 1 in 6.
In the Kurume Bowl is a pond with accessible boardwalked viewing areas.
From the pond the path climbs through the Sensory Garden and the Cherry Lawn picnic area. The climb is moderate except for the final section back onto the main road back to the Visitorís Centre. There is a short 10 metre section with a 1 in 5 grade. The sensory garden is an accessible area of the garden.

Toilet facilities are available at the end of the top road past the nursery area. While grab rails are provided the entry is narrow and not suitable for wheelchair users. There are no unisex facilities available here as there is at the Visitorís Centre.

The total length of the path around the garden is 4.5 kilomtres on the sealed paths. Most of the steeper sections can be avoided by following the path through the Cherry Lawn to the pond and rejoining the main trail before the steep section through the Rockery. This gives easier access to the upper main trail.

The Gardens are often used for weddings and other functions. For private functions the Camellia Lawn is the preferred choice with direct access from the Camellia Gate and car park.