Alfred Nicholas purchased this land in 1929 to build his home and then proceeded to buy up surrounding land to add to his estate. The property was soon named 'Burnham Beeches'.

Alfred Nicholas and his brother George developed the 'Aspro' painkiller. It was originally a German discovery, the supply of which halted during the first world war. George, a chemist, re-discovered the formula, the Australian Government awarded the patent and the Nicholas fortune grew.

Mr Nicholas travelled the streets of outer Melbourne searching for established trees to be purchased for his property. Unfortunately he passed away before the garden was completed, and soon the property began to decline. Mrs Nicholas stayed on the property until the outbreak of the second world war.

After the war the house was handed to their company which converted it for use as a research laboratory. The Nicholas Company decided in 1965 to donate the gardens to the people of Victoria by way of the local shire council. In 1972, the council handed the garden over to the Victorian State Government.