Camperdown Arboretum - Draft Masterplan
The Draft Masterplan for the Camperdown Arboretum considers the 5.6 hectares in the north east corner of the arboretum and includes winding paths, picnic areas, and beautiful views of Lake Gnotuk. This Draft Masterplan proposes to restore historic garden designs by William Guilfoyle and add new trees like oaks, maples, and Wollemi pines. There will be signs, seating and spaces for learning and relaxing. The vision is for the Arboretum to be a national champion of biodiversity of a wide range of tree species from Australia and around the world, and those species that are considered threatened.
This Masterplan encompasses the north-east corner of the site, excluding the neighbouring Camperdown Botanic Gardens, caravan park and grazing land, with consideration to further stages beyond the current area in the future.
The Camperdown Arboretum Master Plan was developed through community consultation in first developing a concept design, through to the final draft masterplan that is now available for comment.
The Masterplan contains a number of features including the following:
- A large collection of rare trees and some critically endangered in the wild
- Consideration of a number of design layers including Guilfoyle design, Succession planting, Bill Funk trees, Camperdown Botanic Garden Trust collection of trees and seasonal ornamentals
- A small grove of critically endangered Wollemia nobilis
- A forest of oaks – Oak Acre – the largest public collection of Quercus in Australia, possibly in the Southern Hemisphere
- The oak lawn overlooks the oak forest which is a natural hillside amphitheatre – with distant views that are protected
- A picnic pavilion – orientated to the protected distant views
- Meandering paths with glimpses to water features
- A diverse collection of trees from around the world, with candidates for National Collections of Quercus (Oaks) and Acers (Maples)
You can comment on the draft masterplan by completing the survey below, or by emailing responses to shire@corangamite.vic.gov.au
Submissions close at 5pm on 8 December, 2025.
Drop-In Sessions
Community members can discuss the masterplan with council officers at drop-in sessions in the Botanic Gardens rotunda.
Thursday, 20 November 2025, 11 am to 12 pm, and 3 pm to 4 pm.
Tuesday, 25 November 2025, 11 am to 12 pm, and 3 pm to 4 pm.
About the Camperdown Arboretum
The Camperdown Botanic Gardens and Arboretum are on a hill approximately 3km from Camperdown's CBD with commanding views over the twin volcanic lakes of Bullen Merri and Gnotuk. The site was reserved as a public park in 1869, with William Guilfoyle, director of the Royal Melbourne Botanic Gardens, guiding development of the site between 1888 and 1910. Guilfoyle provided plans and planting lists for the Arboretum, which is home to rare and significant trees.
The precinct is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The Arboretum is in the north-east of the precinct, with the Botanic Gardens in a fenced area to the south-west of the Arboretum.
