Derriweit Heights, Mount Macedon
Author: Tim Gatehouse
Derriweit Heights is one of the great hill station gardens at Mount Macedon, from its inception in 1873 to the present day. This publication covers the origins of hill stations as part of the appreciation of mountainous country inspired by the Romantic Movement in Europe, and the discovery of the benefits of mountain retreats from the heat by British colonists in India. Close contacts between India and Australia in the nineteenth century introduced many elements of Anglo-Indian culture to Australia, including hill stations which were established in elevated sites in the eastern colonies. These became ideal locations for temperate climate gardens.
Derriweit was one of these. An extensive account of the development of the garden is given, including the roles played by its owner Charles Ryan and William Guilfoyle in its design, and its gradual decline after passing through the hands of several owners, being reduced by subdivision and ravaged by the 1983 bushfires. The description of the garden is augmented by a detailed plan and plant list of the existing garden. The history includes all the owners of the property with a large segment on the renowned flower painter Ellis Rowan, a daughter of Charles Ryan who lived at Derriweit. Described in 1898 as the finest private garden in Australia, Derriweit is today a smaller garden meticulously maintained by passionate gardeners.