Discover the Legacy of the Tahbilk Homestead Garden
Some stories are best told not in words, but in the quiet rustle of leaves and the fragrance of blossoms carried on the breeze. The Tahbilk Homestead Garden is one of those stories, layered with more than 160 years of history, cultivated by generations of caretakers, and still flourishing.
A Living Chronicle of Tahbilk’s Past
The garden’s roots trace back to the 1860s, when Ludovic Marie, Tahbilk’s first manager and winemaker, brought a French touch to the estate. Marie planted the iconic Plane trees that still shade the cellar yard and shaped the first version of the Homestead Garden, formal in design and bordered with orchard rows and vegetable plots.
In the 1930s, the Purbrick family arrived from England and began to leave their own lasting imprint. Eric Stevens Purbrick and his wife, Marjory, introduced rose arbours, sprawling vegetable gardens, and elegant shrub borders. Over the decades, successive Purbrick women and generations of gardeners expanded and reimagined the space, planting tulip trees, oaks, flowering elms, and an extraordinary variety of bulbs, fruit trees, and native flora. Each addition has become part of the garden’s layered personality.
Some of the trees you’ll encounter on the tour date back to the 1860s and are protected by the National Tree Trust. Others, like towering Bunya Pines, graceful Paulownias, and colourful camellias, mark the changing tastes and passions of each generation.
Guided by the Garden’s Keeper
Leading the tour is Tahbilk’s current Head Gardener, Travis McCarty, the 19th custodian of this extraordinary landscape. With a deep knowledge of horticulture and a passion for storytelling, Travis brings the garden to life, sharing how each era of Purbrick stewardship has shaped what visitors see. From heritage trees to modern plantings of natives, and from traditional stonework to contemporary sustainable practices, he’ll reveal how past and present coexist within these grounds.
The Experience
Your visit begins with a one-hour guided tour through the Homestead Garden, where history and horticulture intertwine at every step. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a two-course lunch at the Tahbilk Estate’s Restaurant, paired with a glass of the current vintage Tahbilk wine. It’s a chance to taste the estate’s craft while overlooking the natural beauty that has inspired generations.
Dates: Friday 3rd October | Friday 14th November | Friday 5th December
Time: 11am start
Duration: 1 hour garden tour + 1.5 hour lunch
Price: $100 per person
Please note: tours are weather-dependent to ensure the comfort and safety of both guests and staff.
A Garden Still Growing
What makes the Homestead Garden remarkable is not only its age, but its ability to adapt and thrive. It is a place where roses planted decades ago bloom alongside indigenous grasses, where stone walls built by early gardeners frame beds of hydrangeas, and where the story of the Purbrick family and Tahbilk’s legacy is written in living colour.
Join us for this unique experience, and see how time, tradition, and passion continue to shape one of Victoria’s most treasured gardens.
