Alton Garden History

An historically significant garden

• Alton's Flowers
• Tree Survey
• History of the Garden

The Garden

Alton is one of a small number of mountain retreats in Australia that embody a terraced hill station character. These characteristics are generally steep and elevated terrain with an outlook over the valleys or plains, and the extensive use of terracing to provide access and to facilitate the pursuit of horticulture. These features distinguish such gardens from the pastoral gardens also found at Mount Macedon, such as Duneira, which have a character not unique to Mount Macedon, but which can be found in any hilly or undulating terrain.

The terraced hill station gardens were often associated with Indian settlements such as Darjeeling and Simla, particularly in the nineteenth century. The dramatic topography of the foothills of the Himalayas necessarily had to be terraced and this created a distinctive character to the gardens and building that were located there.

Mount Macedon represents the most coherent collection of hill station properties in Australia and as such has been ranked as "of world significance" by a major study undertaken to assess historic gardens in Victoria. Although this assessment was undertaken prior to the devastating 1983 bushfires, the collection of hill station gardens at Mount Macedon is still widely recognised as being of national significance (recognised by National Trust and National Estate listings).

Alton has a significant garden design still clearly reflecting Verdon's vision but has been overlaid with the Nicholas era terracing, paths and garden structures. The garden provides an important balance between landscaped areas, extensive working areas and paddocks and the natural bush setting. The garden is one of a small number at Mount Macedon which have a very strong relationship with the natural topography and vegetation.

The integrity of the grounds of Alton is extraordinarily high by Mount Macedon standards, due to the relatively few owners (six in over 120 years) and the long ownership by the Nicholas family. George Nicholas was responsible for its substantial restructuring in the 1930's which respected many of the original Verdon era features. The garden suffered minor damage in the 1983 fires although there was massive damage to the approach along Alton Road and to surrounding forests. Many other Mt Macedon gardens where either partially or totally destroyed.

The property is of particular historical and design interest because it was established by a leading member of the coterie of 'gentlemen scientists' in the colony. This provides an important link with other properties in Alton Road which formed a unique enclave at the period of its settlement.

In summary, Alton represents the most important characteristics of hill station properties. There are no comparable examples elsewhere in Victoria or Australia.

Please read through the early history of Alton for detailed descriptions of the garden 100 years ago.