A Pink Camellia Bush in the Garden of the Former Mount Macedon Presbyterian Church; Mount Macedon Road, Mount Macedon

            Built in 1874 of locally quarried stone, the picturesque Mount Macedon Church of England sits on the Mount Macedon Road and is a local landmark of the small 'hill station' resort town of Mount Macedon.  The church is a fine example of English Picturesque Gothic architecture, and its simple, unpretentious style is typical of a country parish church.  It has very little ornamentation and features typical Victorian Gothic characteristics such as lancet windows, a parapeted gable and a steeply pitched roof.  

A church has always been located on this site since 1863, when land was donated to the Presbyterian Church by local Mr. W. Kidd.  It became a Uniting Church in 1977.  In 1983, the church was gutted by the devastating Ash Wednesday Fires, leaving only three of the four external walls.  The church has subsequently been lovingly and faithfully rebuilt and restored both inside and out.  During spring and summer, the church's front wall is covered in a green ornamental grape vine, which turns a vibrant red in autumn, making it a tourist attraction that attracts people from far and wide.  It is surrounded by a beautiful garden with a spectacular hedge of tightly knit pink and white camellias.   

I spent a delightful Saturday with the Famous Flickr Five+ Group in Mount Macedon, where I have never been before.  Now I have, I would very much like to go back to such a picturesque place again. 

The Mount Macedon township is located east of the Mount Macedon summit, which is approximately 60 km north-west of Melbourne.

The name of Mount Macedon is apparently derived from Philip II, who ruled Macedon between 359 and 336BC.   The mountain was named by Thomas Mitchell, the New South Wales Surveyor General. 

Settled in the 1850s by gold miners and timber cutters, the railway arrived at the Mount Macedon township in 1861, providing a vital connection to Melbourne, and sealing the town's future as a 'hill station' resort for wealthy Melburnians escaping the summer heat in the 1870s.  With the land deforested, large blocks were sold and beautiful and extensive gardens were planted around the newly built homes.  The rich soil and good rainfall also made the area suitable for large orchards and plant nurseries who could send fruit and flowers back to Melbourne.  Newspaper owner, David Syme, built a house, "Rosenheim" in 1869. It was acquired in 1886 for Victorian Governors to use as a country retreat, making Mount Macedon an attractive destination for the well heeled of Melbourne society.  A primary school was built in Mount Macedon in 1874, and as the decades progressed, hotels, guest houses, shops, a Presbyterian Church and Church of England were built.  In 1983, Mount Macedon was devastated by the Ash Wednesday Bush Fires.  A large portion of the town was raised, and a number of lives were lost.  However, like a phoenix from the ashes, Mount Macedon has risen and rebuilt.  Today it is still a popular holiday destination, particularly during spring time when the well established gardens flourish with flowers and in autumn when the exotic trees explode in a riot of reds and yellows.

Taken in: Australia / Victoria / Mount Macedon (show map)

Taken on: July 6, 2019

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Sets appears in: • Mount Macedon the Hill Station Town • The Former Mount Macedon Presbyterian Church more » • The Beauty of Nature « less

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Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/4.5, 1/500 sec, 14.3mm, ISO 250 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/4.5
Exposure Time:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Focal Length:	14.3mm
ISO:	250
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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