Coombe Cottage

About half an hours drive from here is the Yarra Valley.  Just at the start of the valley is a fork in the road, fork left  for Yarra Glen, wineries and eventually, Sydney, fork right for Healsville, wineries and the hills.  Between the forks is a property originally owned by Dame Nellie Melba, which is not visible as there are high and very manicured cypress hedges hiding the main house from view.  It is a bit of a family joke that someone invariable says as we pass 'Dame Nellie lived there'

Dame Nellie's grandsons poured megabucks into the property and opened it to the public August last year.  This week Jenny and I drove over there for a tour of the garden and afternoon tea - for a price of course.  But it was well worth it, the gardens are beautiful and the afternoon tea was really nice.

The house itself is not open to the public as the family still live there occasionally, but the garden and outbuildings are.  The garage has been converted into a restaurant,.The tack room, across the courtyard,  is the cellar door and a shop.  Also in the building is a museum dedicated to Dame Nellie.

The original garage now a very nice restaurant

Looking towards the house from a new part of the garden.  In  Dame Nellie's day there was a tennis court here. 

The house from the garden.  The high cypress along the Yarra Glen road can be seen to the right of the house

A beautiful stand of trees along the driveway to the back of the property

Gateway leading into the Italian garden - I think.

The famous hedge from the inside of the garden

Not a bad view from the pool.