Araluen Botanical Park, Roleystone

Any time of year is a blooming beautiful time to visit Araluen Botanical Park in Roleystone! There are roses, camellias and many other flowers throughout the year, though the highlight for many is the annual display of tulips.

Spring has sprung at The Yates Springtime Festival, held from 18th August – 30th September, giving a spectacular show of tulips and other springtime blooms!

With 150,000+ tulips and thousands of other bulbs planted throughout the vast park, everywhere you look, there is vibrant colour amongst the exquisite grounds that are lovingly manicured.

There’s beds brimming with bulbs, small ponds and water features. There’s also stunning native bush areas, with clumps of tulips.

The gushing streams and waterfalls are stunning.

The park is quite hilly and features a lot of steps, which I had to take it easy on. The park is special-needs friendly with lots of gradually inclined pathways for wheelchairs, prams. And if your feet get a little tired, why not take a ride on the Araluen Express Train! This is enjoyed by young and old alike and is a great way to see more of the park. Train tickets can be purchased at $5 per person (kids aged 5 and under are free). The queue is sheltered for sunny/wet days. The train runs Wednesday – Sunday during the Tulip festival from 3rd September.

At Araluen you can BYO picnic and throw down a rug on the lawns.

Or you can bring some sausages and utilise the electric barbecues!

We stopped for a cuppa at the Chalet Healy tea rooms, which is open all year round from 10am to 4pm.

The cosy log-cabin style café is very popular.

Here we enjoyed a tea, coffee and a scrumptious slice of blueberry tart. There’s a full menu available which includes favourites like fish and chips, lasagne, burgers, toasted Turkish sandwiches and more.

The park was created in the 1920’s as a youth camp. Many of the log cabins built then can still be seen today. The gift shop “Roundhouse” building is charming. There are tables and chairs outside and a coffee van. Inside, there’s a large range of beautiful gifts for all age ranges and interests. It’s difficult to come out empty handed!

During the festival the park will be teeming with people, but it’s still possible to find a quiet spot.

The Grove of the Unforgotten was built in memory of 88 Australians killed in World War I. The Grove is formed by is a series of terraces, which water cascades down to a pool of reflection.

If you want to delve a bit deeper, there are Springtime tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The knowledgeable Tour Guides take you for a walk through the park, where you can learn all about the Araluen’s flora and history. Booking are essential. Araluen Botanical Park is open all year round. It’s such a beautiful place for a wander and relax in the lush, shady surroundings.

Open every day of the year (except Christmas)

The Park’s opening hours are seasonal and admission charges apply, please see their website for details www.araluenbotanicpark.com.au

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About Stella B

Stella is loving retirement! Besides her loves of gardening, reading and painting, she adores spending time with her family and being out and about in Perth. Living in the Perth Hills, her time is often spent brunching with her husband at one of Kalamunda’s many cafes or enjoying a food platter over a glass of wine at a Bickley Valley winery.