On my way out of Canberra, I stopped off at Cockington Green Gardens, a display of meticulously handcrafted, miniature buildings from around the world, set in beautifully landscaped gardens. I love miniature villages. They give permission for my child to come out again just for a little while.

You can’t really get the full experience of these lovely creations without actually seeing them in the flesh, so to speak, but I hope my photos will give you a bit of look at them.

The business has been owned and operated by the Sarah family over four generations. The patriarch of the family visited the UK and came back with a love of English architecture, and so the display begins with replicas of English villages and then moves through icons from around the world.

It was named after Cockington Village, a quaint little village in Torquay, Devon.

 

This Postmill was originally used to grind corn at Aldringham, until it was moved  in 1923. Local residents complained about the tower’s appearance, so The House in the Clouds was constructed to camouflage it. There’s a solution to everything, if you just open your mind up a bit.

This Australian gold mining scene was partly constructed by Anthony Barker as part of his year 12 assessment. It is based on the Central Deborah Gold Mine, established in Bendigo, Victoria in 1939 and is representative of goldmines of that period.

 

You can catch the Somerset and Dorset Steam Railway if you feel like resting your legs.

On the way out, I passed through the gift shop to check out the most magnificent dolls house I think I’ve ever seen. I’ve always loved dolls houses, though strangely, not dolls.

Cockington Green Gardens is just 15 minutes from the city on Gold Creek Road, Nicholls. I recommend it if you’re heading in or out of Canberra. It’s a magical place. Well, my child thinks so, anyway.