People and Places

Famous Australian people and landmarks on Burke’s Backyard


Venetiaville

At Lower Portland, ninety minutes from Sydney’s CBD, is a grand 1860s villa with wide verandahs which overlook the Colo river. Peter Valder recently visited this tranquil country home, which is currently up for auction. Country retreat Situated on 20 ha (48...

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Waldecks Nursery

Waldecks Nursery ‘Burke’s Backyard’ recently visited Waldecks Kingsley Nursery in Perth, WA. Some of the innovations and plants available included: Pansies in Plant-A-Pots – These are a six pack of plants growing in biodegradable pots of peat...

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Hascombe Garden

  Situated at Mt Macedon, Victoria, is an 11 hectare (26 acre) garden belonging to Paula and Lindsay Fox. Hascombe is an historic property, dating from about 1870, which Don visited recently to discover the magic of its spectacular mountain plantings. Hascombe was...

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Hillcrest Park

  Formal gardens are not common within Australia but Don Burke recently visited this award winning formal garden situated in Sydney. ‘Hillcrest Park’ is a 14.4 hectare (six acre) garden at Middle Dural, which belongs to Charles and Cheryl Hanna. The garden...

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Kings Park

  ‘Burke’s Backyard’ recently visited Kings Park Botanic Gardens in Perth which is full of Australian native plants including a large collection of Banksias. The park also has some interesting monuments including a double spiral staircase which...

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Kooky Coffins

The one guarantee in life is that everyone will need a coffin. Susie Croll and Kim Eastman run a coffin making business at Scottsdale, near Launceston in Tasmania, making cheap, environmentally friendly ecocoffins and coffins which can be custom built to almost any...

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Mini Truck

  Norm Mitchell loves building miniatures including trains, trucks and ships. Included in his collection is a replica Kenworth, 18 wheeler truck. It took Norm two years to build the replica and he borrowed a real Kenworth and measured it so he could make the...

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Monastery Garden

  In the Southern Highlands of NSW lies a garden hidden behind tall stone walls. Faces watch your every move as you walk through this monastery garden at Sutton Forest. This 25 x 8m (82.5 x 26′) walled garden is a part of a larger garden belonging to Red...

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Plantusforsalus

Plantusforsalus is one of St Kilda’s best known icons and definitely not your average nursery. For over four years and under direction of owners Adam Wright and Greg Turner this inner city plant nursery is popular for more than just plants, featuring a gallery...

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