桜 Sakura walk and talk at Banksia Park

To celebrate Victorian Seniors Festival 2024, join us for a walk and talk through the cherry grove at Banksia Park.

The delicate blossoms of Banksia Park’s cherry trees may be fleeting, but the history of this beautiful grove tells a story of resilience and lasting friendship. In February 1980, the Japanese Government donated 100 flowering cherry trees to the people of Victoria to mark the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira.

Having fought disease, drought and relocation in their 40-year life, the trees are now maintained and cared for by a dedicated group of volunteers, the Cherry Friends and Parks Victoria rangers.

The Cherry Friends have been working tirelessly since 2015, initially feeding and hand watering the trees, vastly improving the health of the grove.

We will discuss the story of how the Cherry Grove came to be, the work of the Cherry Friends and the significance of the Sakura in Japanese culture. The Sakura is a potent symbol of both the beauty and the fleeting nature of life and death.

This is a short walk (under 250 metres in length), however it includes some uneven terrain and a small hill.

If you have any questions in regards to the accessibility, please contact For more information please contact us via email - healthycommunities@parks.vic.gov.au

Meeting point: Please follow this map pin to meet our guides at the picnic table near the entry to the Cherry Grove.

Enter Banksia Park from Templestowe Road and turn right at the first roundabout. Follow the road until the last car park, next to the Cherry Grove and fenced dog off-lead area.