Discover Anakie: Fairy Worlds and Volcanic Views

Anakie combines fairy-tale worlds with volcanic views and quiet places of remembrance. At Fairy Park, the visitor trail leads over a hill, past scenes from well-known stories. From the summit, the view extends to the extinct volcano Mt Anakie and the landscape beyond. Nature trails can be found in the wider region. This makes it possible to shape your trip around a visit to a fanciful park, an outdoor excursion and other highlights of the area.

Fairy-Tale Worlds and Views at Fairy Park

Fairy Park is considered Australia’s first theme attraction and opened in 1959. The grounds feature 32 scenes in castles, cottages and caves, surrounded by manicured gardens. The scenes include Cinderella at the Grand Ball, Jack in his beanstalk story, the Teddy Bears at their picnic, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The various settings give the park its storybook world: you can recognize familiar fairy-tale motifs while discovering a range of different backdrops.

The visitor trail follows paved paths up and back down a hill, with fairy-tale scenes along the way. At the top, a 360-degree panoramic view opens up over the extinct volcano Mt Anakie and the landscape beyond. The trail therefore combines views of the scenes with a lookout point. When planning your visit to the park, both the climb and the view from the summit are part of the experience.

Play and Discovery for Children

At the medieval Camelot Playground, children can explore secret passages, climb towers and encounter mythical creatures. The large model railway also offers a chance to join in: visitors can set it in motion at the push of a button. Fairy Park also has an adventure playground, a kiosk, a restaurant, a gift shop and picnic areas. This means you can include play and a possible picnic break in your visit, as well as the fairy-tale scenes.

Trails in the Wider Anakie Area

The Anakie Gorge Walk, in the wider Anakie area, is an easy family trail along Stony Creek through a dry gorge. Along the way, you may spot wallabies, koalas, native wildflowers and birds. The trail is 3.5 km long, with a walking time of 1.5 hours one way. These trail details reflect the map in the visitor guide as of June 2017. The walking time is for one way, which is useful to keep in mind when planning your schedule. Check current trail conditions before setting out.

At Anakie Gorge Picnic Area, visitors can picnic or relax and choose from several trails, including the relatively flat Anakie Gorge Walk. In the wider Anakie area, Stoney Creek Picnic Area is also a starting point for the Anakie Gorge Walk, the Wadawurrung Walk and the Ted Errey Circuit Walk. These two locations offer different ways to plan an outing: Anakie Gorge Picnic Area focuses on picnicking and choosing from several trails, while three named walks start at Stoney Creek Picnic Area.

Other Aspects of the Area

In Anakie, the Anakie District Memorial Gates commemorate those who fought in the First and Second World Wars. Anakie Vineyard lies in the Moorabool Valley at the foot of an extinct volcano. Hot Shots Paintball Adventure Park offers paintball at 895 Granite Road in Anakie. These places offer a range of experiences—from remembrance and landscapes to active recreation.

If you are looking for a hotel in Anakie, it helps to decide on the main focus of your stay first: Fairy Park brings together fairy-tale scenes, play opportunities and views, while trails in the wider area offer a different, nature-based excursion idea.

Discover more destinations: Big Hill, Nuggetty, Glenlyon, Wonthaggi, Natimuk, Dunolly, Inglewood, Mount Cole.

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