Morwell | Local Area
Latrobe Valley is the ideal centre to explore the Gippsland region, from a vibrant centre to the mountains, beaches, lakes, National parks and artists studios, you won’t miss out on anything.
At the heart of Latrobe City you’ll find the town of Morwell. Home to the world-famous Morwell Centenary Rose Garden, a rose-filled parkland of over 3500 roses which invites the visitor to relax and explore the tremendous variety of blooms, best visited in November though to April. Morwell also boasts one of Gippsland’s major cultural facilities, Latrobe Regional Gallery, hosting national and international exhibitions throughout the year. There is always something to engage the viewer, with a broad range of contemporary and traditional Australian art on display.
Visit our local wineries, Tarra Bulga National Park, Old Gipps Town, the historic gold mining town of Walhalla or experience the gourmet food and wine trail. A wide range of places to dine with delicious food, boutique wineries, scenic drives, parks, farmers’ markets, gardens, walking trails, tours, antiques, national parks, art galleries and the snow; all a stone throw from Morwell. The team at The Olive Tree Motel are happy to help you plan a week, a day or a meal and will share their local knowledge and love of the area with you.
Old Gippstown Moe
Experience Gippsland in the 1850s and walk the streets of Old Gippstown. See the classic vehicles and learn about the early European settlement of Victoria. Browse through the main street shops and soak up the atmosphere of Gippsland’s past. Visit the twenty-seven original relocated buildings and their collections such as pioneer Angus McMillan’s “Bushy Park” homestead and “Rhoden’s Halfway House” one of the few remaining Cobb & Co. Inns in existence. Displays in the locations are of their era, with a wide range of antique furniture and artefacts.
Open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday 10am-4pm.
Click here for more information.
Morwell National Park
Just south of the town is Morwell National Park, situated in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, it offers close encounters with native flora and fauna, in particular koalas, echidnas, wallabies and over 40 different native orchid species.
Enjoy a range of recreational activities including picnicking, bird watching, bushwalking and nature study. The best way to enjoy the park is to walk through it, following either Fosters Gully Nature Walk or Stringybark Ridge. You can experience exceptional views across the Latrobe Valley from the Jumbuk Road. Alternatively, the Kerry Road Picnic Area is an ideal place to have a peaceful picnic in a quiet bushland setting.
Facilities: picnic tables, gas barbecues, toilets and an information shelter at the Kerry Road Picnic Area. There are also picnic tables at Lyndons Clearing and Billys Creek. Please note that camping is not permitted.
Dogs and other pets are not permitted within the park.
Gippsland Heritage Park and Walk (Kernot Lake)
Gippsland Immigration Park celebrates the contribution of immigrants to the development of Gippsland. Visiting the park you will learn about the history of immigration into Gippsland and the contribution immigrants have made to the Gippsland Region.
The Gippsland Heritage Walk is located around Kernot Lake. It comprises 72 panels of information on the history of Gippsland. Start with the Gippsland Immigration Wall of Recognition and then move on to the panels which begin with Gunaikurnai history.
Playground, barbeque, shelter and picnic tables provide an area to sit and enjoy the view.
Walhalla and Mountain River Drive
Following Route 91 allows you to experience the natural beauty of the Walhalla & Mountain Rivers region. Walhalla is approximately a 45 minute drive from either Traralgon or Moe. You can navigate your way up through some of Gippsland’s beautiful bush scenery and return with lovely mountain views, passing scenic lookouts and the pretty towns of Rawson and Erica. Enjoy the impressive views from Petersons Lookout or relive some mining history on a walk to Horseshoe Bend Tunnel.
While in Walhalla, you can visit the historic buildings and museums, take a ride on the Walhalla Goldfields Railway or learn about the life of the gold miners with a tour through the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine. Stop in at The Stockyard in Rawson, an Aussie pub oozing in country character or the Erica Hotel Motel for a hearty pub meal. If its Devonshire Tea you’re after, stop in at 1914 Café in Erica. While its not a museum, there are plenty of photographs and historical tales on display.
Morwell Centenary Rose Garden
Stop and smell the roses at the internationally recognised Morwell Centenary Rose Garden. Stroll through four acres of imaginatively landscaped gardens where over 100 beds are home to more than 4,000 roses. Gravel paths lead through a picturesque arrangement of a professional selection of 400 varieties of roses including hybrids and traditional favourites.
In 2009 the garden was presented with an Award Of Garden Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies.
The Morwell Centenary Rose Garden is free to the public and is open all year round with best viewing from November to April. Open garden, 24 hour access.
Home of the annual International Rose Garden Festival (held the second weekend in November)
A few minutes from the town centre is the large shopping complex of Midvalley which is next to the fascinating Gippsland Immigration Park. The park consists of an informative walk, around Kernot Lake, telling the story of Gippsland’s indigenous history and celebrates the contribution of immigrants to the development of Gippsland.