One thing about the Australian flora is that they are built for tough, extreme climate conditions, with tough evergreen leaves that stays the same shade throughout the seasons.

In areas such as Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania where the climate is more temperate than the rest of the continent, European trees thrive and in autumn turns into gradients of yellow, orange and red.

Such was the scenery on the streets of Daylesford on our visit. Rows upon rows of chestnut trees are in various shades of colours among the olive green of the native gums, much like Monet’s canvas except more vivid and alive.

More on the trip to come.