Malvern East between parkland and bushland

Discover Malvern East through its parklands: at Central Park, landscaped avenues of trees, shrubs and flower beds meet an open sports oval; elsewhere, bushland, ponds and bridges shape the scenery. These contrasts offer a practical way to choose where to visit: it may depend on whether you want to include open sports grounds, landscaped parks or paths through natural surroundings in your trip.

Parklands with different features

Central Park covers almost 8 hectares. Avenues of trees, shrubs and flower beds define its landscaped areas; right next to them is an open oval for cricket, football and other team sports. This places planted parkland alongside an open sports field. Hedgeley Dene Gardens connect Central Park with the parklands of the Gardiners Creek valley. This connection draws attention beyond individual parks to the valley landscape. Ardrie Park adds another distinctive landscape feature, with elm trees that provide shade.

The Urban Forest Reserve has a different character: it is set in natural bushland and features a grassy area for picnics, ponds, bridges and extensive tree plantings. There are also paths for pedestrians and cyclists. This brings together several possible points of interest: a picnic on the grass, the ponds and bridges, or getting active on the paths. If you like to divide your days between spending time outdoors and going for walks or bike rides, this combination offers practical ideas for planning your trip.

Art, play and exercise

Outdoor art is also part of the Central Park experience: it is home to Lost Lands Found, an eco-art installation. It adds an artistic perspective on nature and the environment to the landscaped areas. If you appreciate parks not only for their planting but also for their art, this gives you another aspect to consider when exploring Central Park.

Other activities take centre stage at Phoenix Park, which has an adventure playground and a skate park. If you are travelling with children and want to include a playground in your plans, you can take this feature into account when choosing places to visit; the skate park offers a different focus. If using a particular facility is important to your plans for the day, check that it is currently available before visiting.

Choose a holiday rental that suits your plans

When looking for a holiday rental in Malvern East, the parks’ different features can help you tailor your stay to your interests. Perhaps you are drawn to the landscaped grounds and team sports at Central Park; or perhaps you are more interested in bushland, ponds and paths at the Urban Forest Reserve. Alternatively, the playground and skate park at Phoenix Park may be important to your plans. These differences offer a practical basis for considering which experiences you want to shape your days, rather than seeing the parklands as one uniform backdrop.

The connection between Central Park and Hedgeley Dene Gardens and the parklands of the Gardiners Creek valley may also help you find your bearings. Your choice depends on which of the parks and activities described matters most to you; there is no need for a general ranking of the parks. Choosing where to go becomes a matter of the kind of experience you want from your trip: landscaped gardens, an open sports field, bushland paths, or playground and skate facilities.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Katunga, Amherst, Milloo, Colac, Mount Evelyn, Anakie, Flowerdale, Swan Reach

For the overview of the wider region: Victoria.