Recently the weather hasn’t been cooperating, with continuous rainy days, so we wanted to go for a walk somewhere nearby. We put Sassafras Village onto the itinerary at the last minute.
Coming here with expectations of scones, it really felt like stepping into a fairytale book!
About a 1-hour drive from Melbourne CBD, in the forests of the Dandenong Ranges. After entering the mountains, the winding forest scenery is somewhat similar to Black Spur Drive,
just much shorter.
Sassafras Village review
The atmosphere of the village is kind of like Vintage + Forest + Slow Living.
The whole main street is not long, like a resting point between forest roads. But every shop has its own style.
A bit like a mix of a European countryside village and an English town. The air is filled with the smell of trees and coffee.
Scone café check-in
If you visit Sassafras Village you must try the English afternoon tea at Miss Marple’s Tea Room.
This Miss Marple’s Tearoom hidden in Sassafras town in Melbourne’s Dandenong Ranges is simply a magical shop straight out of a detective novel!
The building is Tudor-style architecture, like an English countryside cottage. There is a teapot wall and a vintage-style environment. Inside are all kinds of ceramic teapots (some are very cute), Miss Marple memorabilia, floral curtains and tablecloths, giving a strong old-world British feeling.
It was our main destination, without a doubt, a very famous English tea room. The overall style is inspired by the character Miss Marple from British writer Agatha Christie’s works.
Inside are old English-style decorations, filled with vintage ornaments, ceramics, and tea sets.
We were lucky on a weekday and didn’t need to queue. We heard the weekend queues can be very long.
The main street
The shops on both sides of the road all have their own character. “Not just shopping, it’s an experience.”
The European-style cottages on both sides of the main street, the forest walking trails in the mountains, the cafés and candy stores, all give this village its unique charm.
Definitely worth exploring, with niche grocery stores, handicraft shops, fragrances, ornaments and toy stores.
The temperature in the mountains is a bit cooler, so bring a jacket. We stayed for around 2.5 hours altogether. The air after the rain was healing and very comfortable.
- The most famous is Marple’s Tea Room. We had their signature scones, afternoon tea and bread pudding! Nice!
- I like the shop full of cups.
“Life is a balance between cake and cupcakes.” - I like the candle and fragrance shop! Loved all the colours and scents.
- The antique smell of the antique store.
- The relaxed and peaceful feeling of the bookstore.
- Smits and Bits! The owner was super enthusiastic and even greeted us in both Chinese and Korean!
“Welcome! Not just shopping, an experience!”
Places to go near Sassafras Village
- Dandenong Botanic Garden
- 1000 Steps Kokoda
- Sky High
- Olinda Falls
Depending on your energy level. We just like walking, stopping and taking our time. We don’t like rushing. If we want to go, we go. If not, we leave another piece of beauty for next time.
It’s a place we like, and maybe somewhere we’ll visit for a second time.