Summary

A short but attractive loop exploring the botanic gardens of the Kevin Hoffman Walk and the adjoining Flinders Reserve along Hovells Creek

Description

As you travel along life's highway, don't forget to stop and smell the banksias!

If you like flowers, you'll love exploring the Kevin Hoffman walk, with an impressive array of Australian native flowering plants alongside the waterholes of Hovells Creek.

Recently featured on Gardening Australia the Kevin Hoffman Walk is a community built botanic garden featuring drier climate native plants and flowers. After Kevin and his wife Beverly moved next door in 1970, he decided to improve the unattractive creek, by removing weeds and planting native species. Over 40 years, it was transformed.

These days the paths and gardens are maintained by the Friends of Kevin Hoffman Walk, in a partnership with the City of Greater Geelong.

The indigenous plantings of the Kevin Hoffman Walk include plants that were or are still naturally found in and around the You Yangs, Werribee Plains, Brisbane Ranges and the Western Volcanic Plains areas. The gardens feature 40 species of banksia and about 90 species of eremophila.

The outstanding work to beautify the creek has been acknowledged with recognition such as the Tidy Towns award for Outstanding Beautification in 2003.

The loop walk we have mapped also takes you through the Flinders Avenue Reserve which is mostly an unspectacular open grass area, but it does have a small playground and also allows you to get a better look at the billabongs along Hovells Creek (if you detour off the concrete path). Do make sure that you fully explore all the tracks in the gardens of the Kevin Hoffman Walk, including the link via Wingara Drive.

Notes:
- Dogs are allowed on a lead.
- The loop we have mapped requires crossing of Station Lake Road to access the footpath on the other side of the bridge at the southern end of the walk.
- If you drive to get there, the best places to park the car are in either Wingara Drive or Walkers Road.

3163 Views

Points of Interest

1. Close up

It's worth taking a closer look at many of the flowers

2. Unusual banksia

The gardens have many different banksias. This one has interesting yellow flowers with a fringe of purple

3. A walk in the woods

At times the path takes you through small patches of forest. Photo credit: David Martin

4. Beautiful pond

The southern pond is quite lovely Photo credit: Yvonne Verheem

5. Paper daisies

Lovely

6. Crazy trees

These (boab?) trees seem to be only young but they have already developed bulbous trunks

7. Hovells Creek

From the bridge on Station Lake Rd you get a good view of the creek to the south.

8. Central billabong

If you wander off the path a little in the Flinders Reserve you get a better view of the central pond.

9. Seat with a view

There are plenty of nice places to sit and take in the surroundings on this walk.

10. Dogs allowed on lead

Feel free to bring your furry friends! Photo credit: Claire Nicole

11. Banksia

Different varieties of banksia are a real feature of this walk

12. Enjoying the gardens

For a short walk there is a lot to see and enjoy Photo credit: Nicole Leach

Features

Playground

Drinking water available

Seating available

Pram friendly

Local treasures

Art and culture

Lake, creek, river

Park / Garden