Inspired by the flora of Gondwana when it was established in the 1970s, Woodbank Gardens now has the perfect guardians in Harry and Kerry van den Berg.
Story + Photo Andrew Bain
When Harry and Kerry van den Berg were looking to buy a property in southern Tasmania in 2014, they found a garden they loved. Ringed by native bush on a ridge among the southern foothills of Mt Wellington, the nondescript brown-brick home outside of Longley sat among a showcase of plants from the Gondwana supercontinent and rare tree species from across the world. More than 40 years since its creation, Woodbank Gardens had flourished into one of Tasmania’s most impressive private gardens.
“One of my close friends in Launceston said to me, ‘You know that you should never buy a house for the garden?’” Kerry says. “I didn’t care, I wanted it.”
This story excerpt is from Issue #133
Outback Magazine: Oct/Nov 2020
