Mount Macedon

Mount Macedon.jpg

Location and surrounds

Stretching along the upward climbing Mount Macedon Road, Mount Macedon is an unspoilt, elevated mountain village with magnificent houses and gardens surrounded by beautiful parklands, waterfalls and mountain peaks. 

Located on top of Mount Macedon, the village can be seen from every corner of the region and changes with the seasons, from misty grey in winter to bright green in the summer. Up close it is even more impressive; a place of grand gardens and wild bush, of natural attractions and serious adventure. 

History

In the 1870s, the beauty and coolness of the slopes attracted members of Melbourne's wealthy social elite and the government released large blocks on the south side of the mountain to the landed and business classes. As a result many grand Victorian homes with extensive ornamental gardens were established as summer residences.

At the peak of the resort's popularity in the 1890s, some of these gracious residences were turned into guesthouses. However, the major legacy of the era was the establishment, around these mansions, of extensive ornamental gardens. Taken as a whole, they are considered one of the most important collections of nineteenth century gardens in Australia.

In February 1983, the Ash Wednesday fires swept through the area, destroying many houses.

The present day

Today this close knit community is renowned for their wealth of artists and garden experts. The town is one of the few internationally recognised garden townships of Australia.

Facilities

Facilities include Mount Macedon Primary School and Braemar College campus. Council facilities include:

See and do

Visitmacedonranges.com provides information on things to see and do and what’s on in Mount Macedon. 

Autumn in the Macedon Ranges is a stunning time of the year attracting a large numbers of visitors to the region. The open gardens of Mt Macedon are a particularly popular destination. In recent years, the large influx of visitors has required that traffic management measures are put in place during the autumn period to help reduce the impact to residents and maintain a safe environment. Measures to manage visitation were implemented again in 2022.

People

For demographic data about Mount Macedon, see Macedon Ranges Community Profile.