Eltham: Discover Art, History and Nature

Discover Eltham through its art, local history and landscapes. The Heidelberg Artist Trail showcases works by Walter Withers, while the Little Eltham Heritage Walk leads to places of historical and cultural significance. The area also has bushland and Edendale Community Environment Farm beside Diamond Creek.

Art and Local History in Eltham

The Heidelberg Artist Trail runs along the Diamond Creek Trail between Wingrove Park and the Activity Centre on Main Road. Its signs display reproductions of six paintings by Walter Withers and provide information about each work. Withers moved to Eltham in 1903 and painted scenes of the surrounding area until his death in 1914. In 2024, the signs were replaced with new materials and a more accessible design.

The Little Eltham Heritage Walk offers another way to explore local history. It leads to several places of historical and cultural significance and can be started and finished at Eltham Library. While the Heidelberg Artist Trail features Withers’ paintings, the Heritage Walk focuses on several places of local heritage.

The Eltham Library complex is also home to the Eltham Library Community Gallery, which opened in 1994. The complex is on Wurundjeri-Woi-wurrung Country. At Eltham Town Square, the artwork “Spirit of Nillumbik” celebrates the artistic spirit of Eltham and the surrounding communities. Eltham therefore offers both a direct connection to an artist and other ways to engage with art and local history.

Landscape and Open Spaces

Barak Bushlands lies north of Main Road and includes open spaces and a bushland reserve. Another clearly designated option for visitors with dogs is the back oval at Eltham Lower Park. It is also called Oval Number Two or South Oval and is designated as a fenced area where dogs can run off leash.

Edendale Community Environment Farm covers seven hectares in Eltham, beside Diamond Creek. Together with the bushland areas, it offers a different focus from the art and history sites. Which of these interests you want to shape your trip can also help guide your choice of a hotel in Eltham.

Nillumbik Shire as a Regional Setting

In the wider destination of Nillumbik Shire, towns and villages are set between unspoilt bushland and scenic hills. An extensive network of trails is available for walking, horse riding and cycling. This regional landscape perspective adds further options across the Shire to Eltham’s specific places and themes.

Montsalvat lies at the foot of the Yarra Valley. The arts centre and artists’ community were founded in 1934; the site covers 12 acres and includes more than 34 buildings. These include three galleries, 19 studios, a ceramics centre and event spaces for concerts. Exhibitions, studio programs and ceramics classes round out the offerings.

The trails and reserves in Nillumbik Shire also offer a range of different experiences. The Hurstbridge Heritage Trail passes 30 historically significant sites, spanning the period from early settlement to the mid-20th century. The Panton Hill Bushland Reserve System comprises seven community-managed bushland reserves in the areas of Panton Hill, Smiths Gully and Watsons Creek. Covering about 140 hectares in total, the reserves offer opportunities for bushwalking, birdwatching, horse riding and mountain biking.

The Green Wedge Trail runs from Watery Gully Road in Wattle Glen to Clintons Road in Smiths Gully and offers a chance to explore the rural areas of Nillumbik. You can consider these regional nature and culture experiences alongside what Eltham has to offer as you plan the rest of your trip.

Explore More Destinations

Explore more destinations: South Yarra, Moorabbin, Carnegie, Attwood, Narre Warren, Lilydale, Doveton, Kensington

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