Olinda

Quick facts

• Population approximately 1,400
• 44 kilometres east of Melbourne
• Art, antique and handicraft galleries.

One of the highest of the Dandenong Range’s villages, Olinda is noted for its scenic beauty. The village’s gardens and scenery reflect its pronounced seasons, with spring blooms, autumnal colours, crisp summer days and occasional light snowfalls. Spend a relaxing afternoon browsing through the many art, antique and handicraft galleries and sampling a famous Devonshire tea.

Activities and attractions

• Browse the many local galleries and craft shops – don’t miss the Touchstone Craft Gallery, which displays and sells jewellery, glass, pottery, leather and ceramics made by Australian master craftspeople
• Stop for a famous Dandenong Ranges Devonshire tea or a home-made pie
• Explore some of Australia’s most beautiful public and private gardens, including the National Rhododendron Gardens and the William Ricketts Sanctuary, Cloudehill and Pirianda Gardens
• Go walking in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, through the magnificent forest in RJ Hamer Arboretum or trek to Olinda Falls
• Stop at roadside stalls selling home-made preserves, garden produce, flowers, eggs, chestnuts and plants
• Look out for wildlife as you tour the area, including emus, wombats, possums, echidna and lyrebirds, king parrots, and rosella
• Search for antique treasures in Mt Dandenong and Sassafras villages.

How to get there
Olinda is just over 1 hour from Melbourne. Travel on the Burwood Highway and then turn off onto the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road. Alternative route: Along Monash Freeway, onto Ferntree Gully Road, then along the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road.