Two of the region’s most iconic gardens and homesteads are Hazeldean and Shirley. These two beautiful properties can be viewed as part of the Private Gardens of the Monaro tour.

The tour offers self-drive trips exclusive to a maximum of only 30 people, including morning and afternoon tea, as well as tailor made garden tours.

The tour is open for group bookings by appointment.

Visit privategardensofmonaro.com.au or call (02) 6454 6386 for availability.

Hazeldean

Hazeldean was settled by the Litchfield family in 1865 - home to six generations of Litchfields, and to one of the largest and most progressive Merino and Angus studs in Australia.

The present homestead was built in 1907 and had a major renovation in the 1930s by Professor Leslie Wilkinson, the first Dean of Architecture at Sydney University.

Most recently, Wilkinson’s 1964 plans for a top storey have been realised more than 50 years on.

The house is surrounded by a forest of 100-year-old English Elms, extending out to an English-like 10 acres of parkland.

The five-acre garden has recently been renovated by Jim and Libby Litchfield, establishing new stone walls and expansive lawn terraces.

There are several courtyard gardens, a cross axis pear allee, extensive plantings of peonies, a wild garden of spring flowering bulbs, a fruit tree orchard and fabulous vistas of the spectacular un-spoilt Monaro plains, as well as historic stone stables built from basalt quarried from the property.

Shirley

Shirley is a fourth generation sheep grazing property owned by the Cottle family.

The homestead was designed by Henry Budden and built in 1908. The garden was laid out by Claude Crowe in the late 1930s.

In 2006, John and Sally-Ann Cottle embarked on a renovation of the garden and commissioned landscape designer Paul Bangay to help them. Bangay’s design has seamlessly brought together the work of three generations of their family.

Shirley is truly an oasis in the vast Monaro plains with seven acres of expansive lawns, magnificent, mature trees, a parterre garden and a spectacular lake.