A cool climate garden that comes with an English box maze, a cascade, and an onsite greenhouse sounds like something out of a hazy British film from 1963. It is, however, also a living reality at Mayfield Garden, a 65 hectare spread of privately owned garden estate that only gets opened to the public four times a year, for a festival for each season. Right now is, you guessed it – their Winter Festival.
Mayfield Garden is (fun fact) the biggest privately-owned cool climate garden in Australia, with the Hawkins Family having owned and operated it since the 1980s. Inspired by the opulent gardens found in Europe, Mayfield is situated 15 minutes from Oberon, and a two-and-a-half hour drive from Sydney. During the Winter Festival, visitors can explore a normally totally closed off private garden, wandering through their massive maze and exploring a green space laid bare by the freezing temperatures of Oberon, with guests able to unearth man made sculptures and secrets that are normally concealed by florid growth in the warmer months.
Kids are very welcome at Mayfield, with them able to have a jaunt on a flying fox, explore the gardens to their heart’s content, and then, best of all, join the Mayfield treasure hunt that spans across the vast grounds. When everyone in the family (once done with wholesome winter tramping) can indulge in a wee bite at the famous Mayfield cafe, whose new head chef Ben McRae has designed a fresh new menu for all cold stomachs, for breakfast and lunch.
The Winter Festival is set to run from Saturday, July 2 until Sunday, July 17, with the gardens open daily from 9am to 4.30pm. Bookings are essential, with tickets costing from $15, and children under school age able to come in for free. You can check yourself, and your little ones in for a seriously wholesome time by clicking right here.
