Geelong Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 214710
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Statement of Significance
A Listed - State Significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
The Statement of Significance has been partly taken from 'Geelong Botanic Gardens & Eastern Park, Geelong East', Register of the National Estate Database online, 27 July 2002, database no. 101106, file no. 2/01/064/005. The Geelong Botanic Gardens, have significance as an early and critically important cultural landscape for the Geelong community. Originally surveyed in 1851, the gardens contain a unique collection of flora from around the world with a number of the larger trees registered with the National Trust of Victoria on the Significant Tree Register.The Geelong Botanic Gardens are aesthetically significant at a STATE level. The design and layout effected by Daniel Bunce was altered by Raddenberry between 1872 and 1899. Raddenberry eliminated many of the paths and walks in the outer part of the Gardens- Eastern Park- and thinned out Bunce's plantings of blue gums. Nevertheless the design intention remains to some extent overlayed by Raddenberry's influences which include the dominant alignments of the Botanic Gardens dictated by his central fernery. The Gardens have lost a number of nineteenth century structures which characterised the Victorian approach to such places; these include the fernery, the curators house and one of the the original glasshouses. Similarly the office building of 1900 has been rebuilt. The pathways have also been asphalted. Changes to the use of Eastern Park include a greater presence for the associated recreational facilities including 'active sports' which have been accommodated in the southern section of Bunces layout defined by driveways established by him. Additional features in this area include an 'active' sports areas. The Geelong Botanic Gardens are historically significant at a STATE level. They are associated with the development of an important cultural landscape and public recreational park in Geelong from the early 1850s. In particular, the Gardens have associations with Daniel Bunce, Curator of the Geelong Botanic Gardens from 1857, and he organised the fencing, laying out and planting of the original gardens. They also have associations with several prominent figures who have planted specimens since the 19th century, including: the Duke of Edinburgh (1867), and the Governor of Victoria Sir George Bowen (1873). The Gardens have further associations with John Raddenberry, a gardener from England who became the second curator upon Bunce's death in 1872. The Geelong Botanic Gardens are socially significant at a LOCAL level. They are recognised and highly valued by the Geelong community for their cultural importance, and landscape, horticultural and recreational qualities to the city. Overall, the Geelong Botanic Gardens are of STATE significance.
References
References Geelong BotanicGardens ampEasternPark,Geeklng East.RegIsteroftheNationalEstate Database online, 27 July 2002, database no. 101106, file no. 20110641005, Chris Dance Land Design Ply ltd, in eescceuco w,til G, Whitehead, M. Looker, Andrew OGrien amp ASSOCIates, Connell Wagner amp l. Henman, Geelong Botanic Gardens amp Eastern Park Conservation amp Management, n.o File quotlo 08amp1 Page , Fiiltl NO__OMO Poge ,
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Geelong Botanic Gardens - Physical Description 1
Description taken from 'Geelong Botanic Gardens & Eastern Park, Geelong East', Register of the National Estate Database online, 27 July 2002, database no. 101106, file no. 2/01/064/0051 Today the Botanic Gardens comprise some 6 hectares, including Bunces original nursery areas, set in 15 hectares of botanic parkland, part of the contiguous Eastern Park. The Geelong Botanic Gardens are situated in the original botanical nursery oblong, set in the middle of curving avenues lined with Cupressus macrocarpa, Pinus radiata, Phoenix canariensis amid the conifer and eucalypt parkland of Eastern Park. On the southern side is the longest row of Bunya Bunya pines in Victoria. All these specimens were planted by Daniel Bunce. The dominant north-west/south-east alignment of the gardens is defined by the axes of Raddenberry's fern house of the 1880s which dominated the central portion of the area described in 1885 as the 'nursery'; Daniel Bunce's original 5.25 acres. During the 1960s this area was extended to the north west by some 50% to include Australian Plants, a conservatory, a rose garden (replanted in 1996), new entrances, a conifer area and a fern garden. In contrast to the earlier section these were planted in groups according to their families. Early plantings in the Gardens were for landscape effect. The original entrance to the Gardens is clearly designated by the plantings, including a pair of Irish Yews, Taxus baccata. The fountains and statuary relocated in 1912 punctuate the main axis of the garden. The extensions of the 1960s are balanced at the opposite end of the Gardens by an area dedicated to nursery, glass house and shade house. The southern edge of the older nursery section is bounded by rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias. A geranium conservatory truncates the central axis at its transition from formal beds to nursery and glasshouses and houses the State's Pelargonium Collection. The Gardens include a number of significant plantings; a Ginkgo biloba believed to be the largest and oldest specimen in Victoria, possibly Australia; and various examples of introduced species which illustrate the Victorian passsion for horticulture and the Australian interest in the 'naturalisation' of introduced species. The Jubaea, or Chilean wine palm, is rare in Victoria. Some 24 trees are listed by the National Trust as of State significance. Many of these significant trees were probably planted by Daniel Bunce. Structures which illustrate the development of the gardens include a sunken glasshouse built in the 1860s, a glasshouse built in the 1870s (rebuilt in 1957), the thatched summerhouse erected under Raddenberry in the 1870s or 1880s , a glasshouse built in the 1890s and a fountain relocated to the gardens in 1912. The Eastern Park Rotunda of 1916 also remains in place. The thatched summerhouse is of particular interest as an example of the Victorian picturesque tradition in garden design. This hexagonal structure is situated strategically at the end of a vista and features diagonal lattice work infill to timber framed walls below an almost conical thatched roof. Changes to the use of Eastern Park include a greater presence for the associated recreational facilities including soccer which has been accommodated in the southern section of Bunces layout defined by driveways established by him. The First Customs House (separately listed at File No. 2/01/064/0007 on the RNE) is claimed to be the oldest authenticated building in Victoria. The picturesque Gothic pavilion dates from the first four years of settlement at Port Phillip. The structure is reputed to have been fabricated in Sydney c.1838 and shipped to Geelong. The square timber structure was built on timber studs clad with quirk bead weatherboards and a thatch roof (replaced by shingles in 1854).
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong City 'C' Citations Study
Author: Dr David Rowe
Year: 2002
Grading:
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FIRST CUSTOMS HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H0185
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CORIO VILLAVictorian Heritage Register H0193
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MERCHISTON HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0192
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