Myall Park Botanic Garden is a unique garden hidden just a few kilometres off “The Sunset Way”, or Surat Development Road, 80 kilometres west of Tara, 68 kilometres east of Surat and just 5 kilometres from Glenmorgan.
There is an interesting history here as to how the garden developed in this remote, rural area far from main highways and busy townships. The Garden is rather special because it promotes and showcases the Australian plants from arid, semi-arid and dry tropical areas. The original owner of the Garden loved the wild, unkempt Australian bush and wanted to encourage and educate visitors to learn more of these beautiful plants, especially those that are threatened or rare.
There is accommodation available in the heritage cottages originally built in 1950s for nursery men, workers and visitors to the Garden. There is also a large camping area for tents and caravans.
There are lots of things to do here
- Wander through the Art Gallery to see a beautiful collection of botanical art
- Inspect the Heritage listed buildings, especially the Seed Room
- Peer through the windows of the Glass House to see tools and garden equipment used last century
- Spend some time watching the native bees
- Wander through the newly established labyrinth
- Spend some time down near the lagoon watching the parade of birds
- Spend some time at the Bird Hide, especially early morning and evenings
- Follow the walks and trails that lead off the Garden Circuit
- Check out the night sky, especially when the moon is not visible
- Borrow a brochure of The Art Trail to discover Art works around the Garden
- Learn about the history of the Garden
- Relax and soak up the peace of this special place
myallparkbotanic@gmail.com
The Garden also has a mobile phone. This is the best way to contact the caretakers. The number is:
0497 215 226
Recent Events:
Prior to Anzac Day a new garden was prepared in Glenmorgan at the free camping spot called “The End of the Line”. After the Dawn Service, the March and the Anzac Service, many locals, visitors and volunteers from the botanic garden met at this spot to plant more than sixty native plants to beautify the area.
Within a few days the “garden to be”
became the “garden that is” all planted, mulched, watered and irrigation lines established.
The plants that were planted are listed below and more mature specimens of them can be seen at the Myall Park Botanic Garden, just 7 kilometres from this spot. They are all Australian native plants, many originally from Western Australia, but were favourites of Dave Gordon, the original owner of the botanic garden.
| Native plant species | Common name |
| Acacia spectabilis | Glory Wattle |
| Acacia suaveolens | Sweet Wattle |
| Calothamnus gilesii | One-sided Bottlebrush |
| Calothamnus hirsutus | Hairy Claw-flower |
| Calothamnus robustus | One-sided Bottlebrush |
| Daviesia filipes | Thread-footed Pea-flower |
| Eucalyptus leucoxylon | Yellow Gum |
| Eucalyptus macrocarpa subsp. macrocarpa | Mottlecah |
| Eucalyptus orbifolia | Round-leaved Mallee |
| Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’, grafted | Grevillea ‘Billy Bonkers’ |
| Grevillea ‘Dorothy Gordon’ | Grevillea ‘Dorothy Gordon’ |
| Grevillea juniperina ‘New Blood’ | Grevillea ‘New Blood’ |
| Grevillea refracta subsp. refracta | Silver-leaf Grevillea |
| Grevillea rosmarinifolia ‘Knockout’ | Grevillea ‘Knockout’ |
| Grevillea thelemanniana, ‘Red Lantern’ | Grevillea ‘Red Lantern’ |
| Hakea laurina | Pin-cushion Hakea |
| Homoranthus prolixis | Granite Homoranthus |
| Isopogon divergens | Spreading Cone-flower |
| Kunzea flavescens | Yellow Kunzea |
| Melaleuca calothamnoides | |
| Melaleuca decussata | Totem Poles |
| Melaleuca diosmatifolia | Pink Honey-myrtle |
| Melaleuca nodosa | Prickly-leaved Paperbark |
| Melaleuca orophila | Flinders Ranges Bottlebrush |
| Melaleuca phoenicea | Scarlet Bottle-brush |
| Melaleuca radula | Graceful Honey-myrtle |
| Ozothamnus diosmifolius (pink) | Pink Rice Flower |
| Phymatocarpus maxwellii | |
| Senna coronilloides, ‘Senna Sensation’ | Senna ‘Sensation’ |
| Wedelia spilanthoides | Rough Wedelia |
| Westringia eremicola | Slender Westringia |
Other recent events
A Members’ working bee was held during the last two weeks in April 2023 and in all twenty two volunteers participated and almost 1300 hours given voluntarily. It was a busy time with maintenance on buildings, weeding of the garden areas, planting of around 200 new plants, installation of new plant labels, painting of garden stakes and many other tasks completed. The brolgas and the emus appeared almost every day and the egrets spent much of their day fishing in the lagoon.
The Glenmorgan School garden which was planted in August 2022 was weeded and some new plants added in April 2023.
In 2022
On Friday 26th August a group of volunteers from the Garden arrived at the Glenmorgan State School to create a garden. Extra soil had already been added to the garden and some weeds removed.
We started the afternoon with a sausage sizzle and after a few wise words from the Principal Mrs Colleen Dunn and the instigator of the project, Jane Seddon, we were ready to start the real work. Each student paired up with an adult and all twenty of the plants were carefully planted, watered and mulched before the irrigation system was set up to be sure that all plants would have the chance to thrive. Many of the plants already had some flowers on them so within a year we hope the garden will be a real eye catcher for people and birds.
One of the older students, Heath, then ceremoniously unveiled the plaque which explains that this garden commemorates the Queen’s Jubilee.
A few days later on Sunday 28th August the annual Spring Day was held at the Gardens. It was a perfect Spring Day and by 7am the first of the runners were arriving for the annual 8.5 kilometre run through the Garden. Some of the runners were so enthralled with the flowers seen along the way, that they changed to walking so as not to miss half hidden flowers! An hour later the 3.5 kilometre run began and then for the first time a special Mini Dash for under 7’s.
The winners of all three fun runs are showing off their classy medals. Congratulations to all.
The gardens are really looking good this year thanks to all of the rain. Janine’s Memorial Garden is bursting with colour and looking very very special.
After the fun runs and home made morning tea the second edition of Dorothy Gordon’s “Australian Wildflower Paintings” was launched. The publication of this new edition was made possible through many generous donors and we are delighted to offer it for sale in the Gift Shop.
An interactive workshop was run to discuss best practices when growing plants from seed and from vegetative material. It proved to be of great interest to many visitors.
The renovated Glass House also drew many visitors now that it is set up with many of the pots, labels, trays, sieves and watering cans that Dave Gordon would have been using 80 years ago.
Back at the Gallery there was plenty of activity around the stalls, the raffle and the children’s creative art corner. After lunch the Glenmorgan Art Group opened their latest Art Exhibition in the Gallery with work from fifteen members, two members exhibiting for the first time.
Our Volunteers
Volunteers are the life blood of our organisation. All of the Board members are volunteers and there are other energetic people who help in various ways. Some have worked in the Garden in the past and now prefer to send a donation for special projects, some enjoy the working bees which usually involve planting, pruning, removing dead trees and shrubs or maintenance of buildings and walks in the Garden. Other volunteers love to help with our social events or write articles or make signs. All are appreciated and if the idea appeals to you, please contact us myallparkbotanic@gmail.com or phone the secretary, Jane on 0419 671 185
GIFTS. We now have new stocks of the three grevillea mugs (a different shape) and the latte mugs in two different colours.
VISIT
The Garden is open from 20 January to 20 December and is a safe haven for all flora and fauna, therefore pets are only permitted if kept under control at Myall Park Botanic Garden.
Queensland Heritage listed.
Supported by the Western Downs Regional Council
Telephone: 0497 215 226 Email: myallparkbotanic@gmail.com
Address: Myall Park Botanic Garden, 1 Myall Park Road, Glenmorgan, Queensland 4423, Australia Post: Myall Park Botanic Garden Ltd, PO Box 22, Glenmorgan, Queensland 4423, Australia
Myall Park Botanic Garden 
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