Araluen Botanic Park

About

Araluen Botanic Park is Heaven in the Hills – an extraordinary garden in a breathtakingly beautiful setting, located just 35km south-east of Perth CBD.

Story

The Park and Gardens

Situated in the Perth hills with a north-south valley aspect, Araluen Botanic Park is home to many species of Australian and international flora.

A unique micro-climate featuring loam soils and high rainfall provides an unmatched opportunity to cultivate exotic and cool climate plants in Western Australia. As a result, Araluen boasts successful plantings of a variety of exotic species in addition to the profusion of native plant species that thrive here.

We also enjoy the presence of a range of native wildlife, including marsupials, birds, reptiles and water creatures.

Situated in the Perth hills with a north-south valley aspect, Araluen Botanic Park is the perfect micro-climate cultivate exotic and cool climate plants in Western Australia.

High rainfall and cool temperatures, in combination with rich loamy soils, have ensured successful plantings of a variety of exotic species, which started in the early Young Australia League days with J.J. ‘Boss’ Simons bringing plants back from his overseas and interstate trips.

Araluen has enjoyed an internationally-acclaimed status for its gardens and some particular species, including Camellias and Roses. In 2012 the International Camellia Society (ICS) recognized Araluen under its Camellia Gardens of Excellence program. Araluen shares this recognition with just 29 other gardens around the world. Similarly, Araluen’s Tea Roses drew acclaim through the highly respected US Rosa Mundi magazine. The 2008 Spring/Summer edition referred to Araluen as ‘…one of the finest collections of Tea Roses in the world resides…’

Many of these trees continue to flourish today. In the Araluen gardens you will find:

Liquidambar
Fraximus (Ash)
Lophostemon (Brush Box)
Thuja (Western Red Cedar)
Rhododendrons
Eucalyptus viminalis (Manna Gums)
Castanospermum (Queensland Black Bean)
Laurus (Bay Tree)
Eucalyptus sideroxylon rosea (Iron Bark)
Ilex (Holly)
Camellias
Wisteria

Since 1990, the Araluen Botanic Park Foundation has cared for these trees, removed some of the invasive species such as black and silver wattle, watsonia and continued eradication and control of blackberry, bridal and Australian creeper, as well as other unwanted species that have spread into the native bush.

Araluen still continues the planting traditions established by founder Boss Simons, expanding the camellia and rhododendrons collection, as well as adding to the eucalyptus with Karri, Tuart and by increasing the Jarrah trees which had been logged heavily in the valley during the early 1900s.

Annually, millions of bulbs scattered throughout the gardens come alive in glorious colour, and visitors come from far and wide to admire the array of tulips. Other interesting plants that flourish in the valley include:

Magnolias
Acers
Paeonias
Michelias
Luculias
Daphnes
Lilacs

These gardens add to the pleasure of visiting the park, and make Araluen Botanic Park truly ‘Heaven in the Hills.’

Fauna

Araluen is a haven for many species of Western Australian wildlife, including marsupials, birds and reptiles.

Visitors on a bushwalk or strolling the gardens may spot a family of western grey kangaroos or a wallaby munching on its morning breakfast grasses alongside bush tracks or on our green lawns.

Kookaburras are plentiful at Araluen. The largest members of the kingfisher family, these well-known birds are recognised by their cackling laugh, which one kookaburra uses to show other kookaburras the boundaries of his territory.

Birdwatching will also allow you to spot ringneck, Western rosella, red cap and other kinds of WA parrots. You might even encounter a tawny frogmouth or other birds from the owl and raptor families.

Listen to the numerous species of frogs in the streams and water catchments, including the motorbike and quacking frogs. You might be lucky enough to spot freshwater crustaceans such as marron and yabbies in our Old Swimming Pool or other fish life in the continuously running streams.

Araluen is also home to a number of species of reptiles. These include skinks, monitors and snakes. Blue-tongued skinks are common wanderers through our bushland, especially in the warmer spring and summer months.