Wildes Meadow: Wetland, Local History and Garden

These highlights differ considerably. The swamp represents an ecological community and a greatly altered landscape; historic areas recall the former village, while The Secret Garden and Vino Rosso Tours offer different options for travel planning.

Upland Swamp and Wildlife

Wildes Meadow Swamp is part of the ecological community of temperate upland swamps on sandstone. Today, the swamp covers only 33 hectares, approximately ten percent of its original extent. More than 90 percent of Wildes Meadow Swamp was lost as a result of the construction of the Fitzroy Falls Reservoir and the subsequent drainage of most of the remaining swamp areas. Wildes Meadow Creek is one of the local waterways where platypus sightings have been documented. Platypuses are a possible but unpredictable sighting; do not count on a guaranteed encounter.

Local History in Wildes Meadow

The Wildes Meadow Village Heritage Conservation Area, described in October 2020, is a small area encompassing the former village of Wildes Meadow. The cemetery beside the former Methodist Church at 564 Myra Vale Road is evidence of the presence of early settlers in Wildes Meadow. It is recommended that the church be included in the final heritage listing because it bears witness to the strong Methodist presence in the region in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A new designation of the Village Heritage Conservation Area as a conservation area to preserve the historic townscape was also proposed. The focus differs: for the church, the emphasis is on its significance to Methodists in the region; for the area, it is on preserving the historic townscape of the former village.

Garden and Tours

The Secret Garden is a five-acre garden in the rural surroundings of Wildes Meadow and comprises several garden rooms. These include a cherry blossom walk, rhododendrons and azaleas, an ornamental lake, natural woodland, a kitchen garden and a cut-flower garden, as well as a small orchard. Check the current access arrangements before visiting. The Secret Garden can also be hired for events; confirm availability directly. Vino Rosso Tours offers fully customisable tours for groups of two to 40 people. Before planning, confirm current availability and the tour options directly. The focus differs: the garden brings together a variety of garden rooms, while Vino Rosso Tours centres on customisable tours for groups of two to 40 people.

Regional Context

For regional orientation, it helps to distinguish the main route from the detours: Tourist Drive 15 runs from Bowral through Robertson and Fitzroy Falls to Moss Vale; short detours lead to Wildes Meadow and Burrawang.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Kincumber, Evans Head, Bargo, Tumut, Ryde, Sutherland, Fingal Bay, Dareton

For the main travel overview: New South Wales.