In Panton Hill, a memorial park in the town centre, a system of bushland reserves and a winery cater to different interests. Remembrance and parkland, nature experiences, and wine and food give you several starting points for planning. You can choose your focus based on what you would most like to discover on your trip.
Remembrance and parkland in the town centre
Panton Hill Firefighters Memorial Park commemorates firefighters who fought the Ash Wednesday fires in February 1983. The park also remembers five Panton Hill firefighters who lost their lives that day. The history of the fires and the memory of those who died are at the heart of this place.
The park has a playground, a covered barbecue area, a covered stage area and toilets. The memorial site therefore combines its commemorative purpose with a range of park facilities. If these facilities are important for your visit, check the conditions on site.
Bushland and cultural perspectives
The Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System comprises seven bushland reserves covering about 140 hectares in total. It extends across Panton Hill, Smiths Gully and Watsons Creek. Activities listed include walking, birdwatching, horse riding and mountain biking. These activities relate to the reserve system across its different localities.
Bunjil Reserve offers another perspective. The Wurundjeri continue their connection to Country there through cultural practices including cultural burning, growing murnong, dance and ceremonies, toolmaking and building shelters. Traces of these practices may be visible along the track through the reserve. This cultural theme adds a distinct dimension to the wider travel area’s nature and recreation interests.
Wine tasting and food
At Panton Hill Vineyard and Winery, visitors can sample a wide selection of estate-grown organic wines: dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified wines. The tasting offers a different focus from the memorial park and reserve system. Check current visitor arrangements directly with the winery.
The winery’s menu features house-made pizza and pickled olives as specialities. As menu offerings may change, it is worth confirming these details with the winery before visiting. This helps place the culinary aspect alongside the wine and the trip’s landscape or cultural themes.
A broader look at Nillumbik Shire
Across the wider Nillumbik Shire travel area, towns lie among bushland and scenic hills. There is an extensive network of trails for walking, horse riding and cycling. The Green Wedge Trail offers a way to explore rural parts of Nillumbik: it runs from Watery Gully Road in Wattle Glen to Clintons Road in Smiths Gully.
The Shire’s cultural history can also be explored in different ways. The Hurstbridge Heritage Trail passes 30 historically significant sites, spanning from early settlement to the mid-20th century. Montsalvat is an arts centre and artists’ community founded in 1934. Its 12-acre grounds contain more than 34 buildings, including three galleries, 19 studios, a ceramics centre and event spaces for concerts. Exhibitions, studio programs and ceramics classes add to what it offers.
Another regional perspective is offered by Edendale Community Environment Farm in Eltham. The site covers seven acres beside Diamond Creek and provides education about sustainable living and the natural environment. Nillumbik Shire’s public art collection is spread across towns and landscapes and includes sculptures, land art, murals and mosaics. So, alongside bushland and trails, the wider travel area offers art, history and environmental education as distinct themes to explore.
Discover more destinations: Serviceton, Omeo, Lake Boga, Balnarring Beach, Seaspray, Wodonga, Neerim, Riddells Creek.
For the broader travel overview: Victoria.
