Nieuwesteeg Heritage Rose Garden

Nieuwesteeg Heritage Rose Garden is a rose collection in Maddingley Park near Bacchus Marsh featuring approximately forty heritage varieties arranged in six beds around a central bandstand. Two hedges of the climbing rose Mutabilis frame the entire arrangement and define the garden's layout.

The garden was established in 2009 based on a collection assembled by nurseryman John Nieuwesteeg over several years. This effort rescued heritage rose varieties from the early twentieth century and gave them a permanent home in the park.

The garden preserves rare roses bred in Australia by notable growers like Alister Clark and Olive Fitzhardinge. These varieties show how local cultivators developed their own distinct roses over decades.

The garden sits about 50 kilometers west of Melbourne near Bacchus Marsh railway station and is straightforward to access. The open setting can be very sunny on warm days, so bringing shade or sun protection makes for a more comfortable visit.

The Mutabilis variety is notable for changing color from pale yellow to deep red as its flowers age, creating a striking visual shift across the blooming period. This natural color transformation makes each flower display a changing spectacle that visitors notice throughout their time in the garden.