May Gibbs Trail

Located with the Stirling Cottage Garden Precinct, the May Gibbs Trail is a short path that winds around the edge of beautiful Stirling Cottage Gardens along the Harvey River.

Take a leisurely walk around the gardens following the May Gibbs Trail and learn more about this legendary Australian author of Snuggle Pot and Cuddle Pie fame.

In 1883, Dr Henry Harvey, John Young, and brothers Herbert and George Gibbs purchased a portion of Captain Stirling’s estate. Herbert’s daughter, the famous Cecilia ‘May’ Gibbs, lived on the property between the ages of 7 and 10, and she returned to Harvey to visit family.

“Of the glorious two years on the Harvey River Station which followed, of the old convict-built homestead, the exciting encounters with snakes that infested the cool river banks, of the river, of the flowers and the maidenhair fern, strange birds, insects, and wildlife that was teeming round us; of the little fat red pony that was my own, of the days spent camping and tramping by ourselves out in the hills, my brother, aged 12, shooting and plucking and roasting the lunch, while I went about the more serious business of gathering flowers and information about the affairs of the bush —of these things I hope to make a book someday.”
May Gibbs

As a young woman, May Gibbs studied Art in England and became an accomplished artist before returning to Australia. She produced her first book in 1912 and created many much-loved bush characters, such as Snuggle Pot and Cuddle Pie, and the Gumnut Babies.

Discover the books and the colourful characters she created on the trail.

Trailhead Location

• The trail begins a 1 James Stirling Place ( walk path to the west of the Boola Bidi Dreaming Centre)

Grade/difficulty

• Grade 1 cement path – there is a small amount of elevation.

Length

• 275 metres one way

Duration

• 10 – 20 minutes.