Monash Gardens Walk August 15 2026
On a mild winter’s morning, members gathered in the Monash car park and
commenced an approximately 7 km circular walk of the campus gardens including
the Jock Marshall Reserve. There are 10 well established gardens throughout the
campus. An eye opener to see such a wonderful vista of native trees and shrubs
and extensive areas set aside, particularly the Aboriginal Garden surrounding a large
peaceful lake where the group had lunch. All in the middle of suburban Clayton. Fifty
years ago the Clayton site was a series of grassed paddocks! The Jock Marshall
Reserve is a remnant patch of scrub and trees with a healthy gully running through it,
approximately 3 ha of land fenced off to protect its wildlife. A highlight was the
Matheson Tree, a 500 year old River Red Gum (eucalyptus camaldulensis) named
for the rescuer, the first Vice-Chancellor of Monash, Sir Louis Matheson who saved
the tree from bulldozers during construction of the playing fields in the 1960s.
Afternoon tea was held in the café of the Victorian Heart Hospital next to the ovals.
