Berwick
Lake Mungo Broken Hill
The Murray
Dreamtime Noosa The Coastline
The Bush
Melbourne
Great Ocean Road
The Seasons A Ghost story Links Page
History of Berwick
The Undulating Hills surrounding Berwick
We live just outside Melbourne (40 mins drive time to the inner City) in the relatively peaceful village of Berwick with its old-fashioned library building, prim gardens and distinctive boulevarde which has an English village feel. Berwick which  is semi rural (a 5 min walk and one is surrounded by bushland and fields!) was occupied by the Bunuroung people until c. 1858. 

Captain Robert Gardiner, who was one of the first landowners in the district, took up much of the land in 1837 on which the township of Berwick later developed. 'Berwick' was named after Gardiner's birthplace of Berwick-on-Tweed in the north of England. The area was initially known as Cardinia Creek which was an adaptation of the Aboriginal name for the waterway - 'Kar-Din-Yarr' - which means 'looking at the rising sun'.

We have a lovely house which is situated on 1.2 acres of garden and have fantastic views across Port Phillip Bay and on a clear day we can see 60+ miles or so. We thoroughly enjoy the space in Australia - let me tell you it is enormous ... huge ... empty.

We love its wildlife, the deserts, the tropics and Melbourne which has a lot of English heritage. Within 20 mins of driving from any of the major cities in Australia one is soon into the country and it's great to be able to explore the hundreds of National Parks and bushland. The Victorian coastline (as like other coastlines in Australia) remains completely unspoiled with craggy cliffs, beautiful sandy beaches (one of which is 90 miles long!) and bushland which literally reaches in to the sea. There are of course areas near the Cities that are crowded but basically by driving 20 mins or so one soon finds oneself alone and in the country.
The High Street Berwick
our Garden
Our home, nestled amongst the Gum trees
Sunset over Berwick
Wilson Botanic Park - A former basalt quarry donated to the community by Mr. George Wilson, grandson of the original land owners in 1854, Wilson Botanic Park has been developed into 39 hectares (100 acres) of scenic and tranquil parkland.
The misty morn stills awake