The Friends of Westgarthtown Inc. was formed in 1995 and incorporated in January 1996 to bring together those who care for Westgarthtown's German/Wendish heritage and its unique architectural and landscape assets.
ABOUT WESTGARTHTOWN
Westgarthtown is a historic dairy farming settlement sixteen kilometres north of Melbourne established in 1850 by German and Wendish immigrants. Although now located within the residential suburbs of Thomastown and Lalor in the City of Whittlesea, many of Westgarthtown's outstanding bluestone heritage buildings and structures still survive. These include Ziebell's Farmhouse (c.1850-51), Victoria's oldest German immigrant building; a picturesque Lutheran Cemetery (1850); and Australia's oldest operating Lutheran Church (1856).
KEY HISTORIC SITES + TOUR INFO
ZIEBELL'S FARMHOUSE MUSEUM AND HERITAGE GARDEN
Photo by Ange Belot
Ziebell's original farmhouse, barn and other buildings have been been lovingly restored by the City of Whittlesea
Visit Ziebell’s
Plan your trip and explore the restored farmhouse, bath house, smoke house and cart shed. the garden is not to be missed and is tended to by descendants and volunteers to this day.
Keen to Volunteer?
We are always on the look out for keen gardeners to come on board and help us maintain the stunning ground of Ziebell’s.
Learn more
Latest News & Events
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New opening hours and volunteers wanted
Ziebell’s Farmhouse and heritage garden has entered a new era. Having recently attained Museum accreditation, Ziebell's Farmhouse is launching the next stage of its development, including extended hours and limited volunteer opportunities.
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Self Guided Tours
While visiting Ziebell's Farmhouse, why not take a self guided walking tour of the Lutheran reserve and other historical sites of Westgarthtown? Our four page downloadable guide contains maps showing you how to get there, the recommended walking route and the location of each site. It also contains background historical information and interesting information about each site.
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FOW Newsletters
We have supplying informative newsletters for our members since our inception. Check out our archive and become a member to be informed when the next newsletter drops.