Werribee

Discover more about Melbourne and Victoria's colonial story and aviation history in Werribee, just over the West Gate Bridge from Melbourne's centre.

Fine flowers and fancy parlours

Leap into the living, breathing postcard of nineteenth century Australia that is Werribee Mansion. Built in the late 1870s by the wealthy Chirnside family, the colonial homestead is Victoria's largest private residence. 

Adjacent to Werribee Mansion in Werribee Park is the Victoria State Rose Garden, featuring more than 5000 roses from all around the world. Stop and smell the roses (stunning in full bloom from November through to April) and then admire the contemporary sculpture on the Werribee Park Sculpture Walk.

For more on the Chirnsides and their contribution to Victoria, visit Point Cook Homestead, the family's temporary residence during Werribee Mansion construction. Discover bluestone walls, graceful Norfolk Island pine trees and spectacular city views. 

Flying history

Take flight in a Tiger Moth or check out the huge collection of military aircraft at Point Cook RAAF Museum, birthplace of the Australian Flying Corps and the Royal Australian Air Force.

Get more aviation history nearby by keeping track of the restoration progress of the B24 Liberator long-range heavy bomber.

Out on the range

Come face-to-face with giraffes, zebras, hipos, wallabies and emus on safari at Werribee Open Range Zoo, and get involved in a range of fascinating interactive exhibits. 

Climb the tower at the Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands for a 360-degree view of the vast numbers of migratory wading birds. Encounter Port Phillip Bay's marine life at Point Cook Marine Sanctuary, on the shores of the bay.

More fun in Werribee and surrounds

For a change of pace, taste through a vintage or two at Shadowfax Winery or enjoy a dip at Werribee South Foreshore. Take a leisurely stroll around Werribee River and venture out on a kayak. Spend a day on the trail at You Yangs Regional Park and discover Aboriginal rock wells on Big Rock.

How to get there

The Werribee Park precinct is 31 kilometres south-west of Melbourne; approximately 30 minutes from Melbourne via the Princes Highway.