Long ago, in the 1870s, pastoralist Thomas Chirnside planted a thriving orchard on his grand estate in Werribee. Decades later, from 1923 to 1973, the orchard found new stewards – Catholic monks of Corpus Christi College. Under their care, the trees flourished. Each autumn, the novices would work from dawn to dusk picking, peeling and preserving the fruit. One former priest remembered more than 400 trees – Jonathans, Yates, Packham Pears, Granny Smiths, cherry plums, apricots and quinces – all ripe with history and flavour.
But time passed. The college closed, the orchard was forgotten, and nature began to reclaim what had once been a vibrant patchwork of fruit trees. Then, in 2010, something remarkable happened. A small group of volunteers came together with a shared dream: to restore the orchard and preserve its heritage. Partnering with Parks Victoria, they formed the Werribee Park Heritage Orchard (WPHO). Since then, they’ve lovingly brought the orchard back to life – identifying old varieties, replanting rare trees, building rabbit-proof fences and tending the land by hand.
With passion and dedication, volunteers of all ages and backgrounds show up every Friday and monthly on Sundays, transforming the site from an overgrown orchard into an arboretum of heritage and rare varieties of peach, nectarine, apricot, plum, cherry, apple, pear, nashi, fig and grapes. No experience is needed – just a willingness to get your hands dirty and learn. And it’s not just orchard work or an interesting place to visit. Today, this orchard is community, connection and shared purpose – it’s a place to belong.
Twice a year, the orchard celebrates its roots with the Heritage Fruit Tree Festival – Australia’s largest fruit tree gathering. It’s a joyful day for backyard growers, history lovers and curious families alike – and a holistic experience for fruit tree addicts, including pruning, grafting, tasting, sharing and honouring the heirlooms of yesteryear.
In collaboration with The Diggers Club, we are excited to be making rare and heritage varieties of fruit trees available to the wider community. All the fruit trees were grafted on site at WPHO by our members, before being lovingly passed on to be nurtured by The Diggers Club team.
Our introductory range of peaches and nectarines combines to provide continuous fruit throughout the season, including many treasures dating back to the early 19th century.
‘Briggs Red May’, one of the earliest peaches harvested, originated about 1870 as a chance seedling on the farm of John G. Briggs, near Yuba City, California. The delicate, soft texture of this sensual white peach does not survive transportation – so you need to grow your own!
‘Flavorcrest’ is a yellow freestone peach originating from Fresno, California and selected in 1969 by J.H. Weinberger. Its large, full-flavoured fruit is harvested mid-season.
‘Pullar Cling’ is a yellow clingstone peach raised by Mr P Pullar at the family orchard at Ardmona. It was listed in Goodman’s catalogue 1914. The large fruit of this cherished variety is worth waiting for, being one of the last peaches to ripen, great eaten fresh or bottled.
The ‘Flavortop’ yellow freestone nectarine was developed in Fresno, California in 1969 and ripens mid- to late-season.
‘Goldmine’ nectarine was first discovered in a private garden in New Zealand in the 1800s. This late-harvest variety produces medium-sized freestone fruit with scrumptious white flesh that is sweet and juicy.
We are working together with Diggers to share and preserve cherished heirloom fruit trees to support biodiversity and ensure these delicious, unique flavours are enjoyed forever. WPHO is a living legacy that you can be part of. Selecting the heritage fruit trees of your choice and planting them in the home orchard – a spiritual experience completed!
WPHO runs educational tours and workshops for schools and corporate groups, offering a glimpse into orchard care, traditional skills and sustainable growing. From learning to graft your own tree to tasting rare fruits straight from the branch, it’s an unforgettable opportunity. To volunteer or book a tour or workshop, email: wph.orchard@gmail.com
Diggers is delighted to partner with WPHO to offer rare and heritage varieties exclusively to our members. See the full range on our website.