Geelong Botanic Gardens

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 ,

Group

Parks, Gardens and Trees

Category

Garden Botanic