William Ricketts Sanctuary in the Dandenong Ranges is open again. A severe storm in June 2021 closed it, and it stayed shut for five years, until the first stage reopened on 3 August 2026. I went for a wander, hardly anyone was there, and I could look at each sculpture slowly and quietly.
What it is
It’s the life’s work of the artist William Ricketts, who made a large number of ceramic figures of people and animals in this patch of ferny rainforest. Parks Victoria counts more than 90 of them. They sit among giant trees, rocks and ferns, so the sculptures and the forest seem to belong together. It’s a place of beauty and calm. Many of the figures hold possums and other wildlife.
What’s actually inside
The sculpture trail. This is the main thing, and what almost everyone comes for. About 92 clay and ceramic sculptures are scattered through the fern forest, mostly figures of Aboriginal people and animals half hidden among the trees and rocks. You follow the loop path at your own pace, stopping to look and take photos. Most people take somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes. A few rules: no picnics or food inside, no dogs, and no climbing on the sculptures.
Audio tour. Before the storm, you could hire an audio guide on site for $5, covering the artist’s life and the stories behind the sculptures.
The film. There’s a visual display centre that shows a roughly 20 minute documentary on how William Ricketts made his work.
Souvenir shop. A small shop sells postcards, books and little gifts, and what you spend helps with upkeep of the grounds.
The audio guide, the film and the shop were part of the sanctuary before 2021. The reopening is staged, and the artist’s former home and gallery are still being restored, so I’d check with Parks Victoria on 13 1963 before assuming they’re running yet. The trail itself is open.
Parking
Don’t drive up to the gate. There’s no parking along the road at the sanctuary entrance, so don’t park on the roadside. Search the address, 1402 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, and park in the free public car park across the road. Cross at the crossing and walk up a short, steep slope to the entrance. It’s small, so on weekends and holidays I’d arrive before 10am. There are accessible spaces too. Take care on the steep road.
Opening hours
Open daily from 10am to 4pm, with last entry at 3.30pm. It closes on Christmas Day, total fire ban days and during extreme weather. Entry is free. The reopening is staged, so the artist’s former home and the gallery are still being repaired and can’t be visited yet.
The walk
Take the main loop, about 900 metres, clockwise, so you won’t miss any sculptures and won’t need to backtrack. Paths are fairly flat with some damp steps, and there are stone benches along the way. Allow about 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how slowly you go and how many photos you take. When you finish the loop, you return the way you came to the exit. Visitors are asked not to eat or have a picnic, only water, and there’s no cafe or food kiosk, so find lunch after you go back down the hill.
With kids
The sanctuary is small and free, and a visit takes about half an hour. There are lots of steep slopes and stairs, so it isn’t good for prams, leave yours behind. My kid walked the whole way without complaining, mostly because some of the statues still spout water and they couldn’t stop watching. We went after rain, which made everything damper and greener, and I thought it looked even better.
What to bring
The mountain is 4 to 6 degrees cooler than the city and shady all year, so bring a light jacket. Moss and wet ground make steps slippery, so wear non-slip sneakers, not thongs or sandals. There are public toilets inside and you can pick up a paper map at the visitor centre at the entrance. Dogs aren’t allowed.
Getting there without a car
Take the Belgrave line train to Upper Ferntree Gully station, or the Lilydale line to Croydon station, and change to the 688 bus, which stops at the sanctuary. Check PTV for current timetables.
Make a day of it
Three easy add-ons nearby. Alfred Nicholas Gardens is very close and you can picnic there, which you can’t at the sanctuary. Olinda village is good for lunch or a coffee. And SkyHigh Mount Dandenong has the lookout. Put those together and you’ve got a full day in the Dandenongs.
Worth it
Go on a weekday if you can. Parks Victoria says it’s had record visitor numbers since reopening, and the car park fills up. William Ricketts Sanctuary is at 1402 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Mount Dandenong VIC 3767.
For more in the hills, see our guide to country towns in Victoria, including Sassafras, or our list of school holiday activities in Melbourne.