Blue Lotus Water Garden

The Basics

Visitors can explore around 2 miles (3 kilometers) of pathways through the gardens, stopping to admire the views from the pavilions and Japanese-style bridges. Among the many highlights are the Giants of the Amazon water lily exhibit; a prized collection of Claude Monet’s original water lilies taken from his garden in Giverny, France; Lotus Lake, surrounded by over 10,000 lotus flowers; and the Fairy Garden designed especially for kids.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen and a hat, as most of the gardens and exhibitions are outdoors.

• Visitors can enjoy lunch at the Lily Pond Café, visit the Ice Cream Kiosk, or use the many picnic areas. There is also a gift shop and a plant nursery.

• Free parking is available.

• Most of the garden’s trails are flat and accessible to wheelchairs, although the paths are unpaved, so access may be limited on rainy days.

How to Get There

The Blue Lotus Water Garden is located just outside of Yarra Junction, along the main B-380 highway, in the eastern part of the Yarra Valley. The easiest way to arrive is with your own transport, but buses run from Yarra Junction, stopping just outside. From Melbourne, it’s about a 1.5-hour drive or a 2-hour bus journey with at least two transfers.

When to Get There

The garden is open only for a limited time in summer and autumn, when the lotus flowers are in bloom—typically from late December to mid-April. The scenery changes seasonally, but January to mid-March is typically the best time to admire the lotus and water lilies, while February to April is when the giant Amazon water lilies and perennial flowers are at their most impressive. Summer weekends can be busy, so plan an early start to avoid the crowds, and stay out of the midday sun.

Family Fun at the Blue Lotus Water Garden

The garden has plenty of activities to keep kids busy, especially on weekends and school holidays. Children can meet the Fairy Queen in the Flower Fairy Garden, ride the Rainbow Slide, and make a wish in the Fairy Dell Wishing Well. The Dragon Adventure Spotto garden includes a treasure hunt for kids to complete, and they can also help feed the goldfish and turtles during supervised daily feeding sessions or join in seasonal events such as Easter egg hunts.