Arthur Streeton and Longacres
Interpretive signage along the Community theme
Arthur Streeton and Longacres
“The garden is a kind of love letter from Arthur to Nora.”
– Julie Dodds-Streeton
Arthur Streeton remained connected to this area, despite spending a significant number of years living and working in England. A founding member of the Heidelberg School in the late nineteenth century, Streeton returned to the Dandenong Ranges in the early twentieth century when he purchased five acres in Olinda, which he named Longacres.
Using money from the sale of one of his works, Streeton built a house, painting studio and caretaker’s cottage at Longacres, as well as designing and planting a beautiful garden. Incorporating many northern hemisphere plants, including Douglas firs and an avenue of linden trees, Streeton designed part of the garden to appeal to his Canadian wife Nora. During his time at Longacres, Streeton painted close to 200 paintings of the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley area as well as hosting many high-profile artists at his leafy residence.