The Gardens include Brisbane's most mature gardens, with many rare and unusual botanic species. In particular the Gardens feature a special collection of cycads, palms, figs and bamboo.
The City Botanic Gardens was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 February 1997.[1] The Queensland Heritage Register describes the Gardens as "the most significant, non-Aboriginal cultural landscape in Queensland, having a continuous horticultural history since 1828, without any significant loss of land area or change in use over that time. It remains the premier public park and recreational facility for the capital of Queensland, which role it has performed since the early 1840s."[1]
History
Much of the present-day Botanic Gardens was surveyed and selected as the site for a public garden in 1828 by the NSW Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser,[2] three years after the establishment of the Moreton Bay penal settlement at nearby North Quay, Brisbane. Originally the gardens were planted by convicts in 1825 with food crops to feed the prison colony.[3]
In 1855 a portion of several acres was declared a Botanic Reserve. In the same year Walter Hill was appointed as curator of the Botanic Reserve, a position he held until 1881.[1][4] He began an active planting and experimental program. Some of the older trees planted in the Gardens were the first of their species to be planted in Australia, due to Hill's experiments to acclimatise plants.[2] The experiments served practical outcomes. Plants with potential commercial value were tested in the gardens, first to see if they were viable, to determine what they needed for growth and if a profit could be made.[5] Hill introduced mango, pawpaw, ginger, tamarind, mahogany, poinciana and jacaranda trees as well as tobacco, sugar, grape vines, wheat, tropical fruits, tea, coffee, spices and textile plants.[6] The world's first cultivated Macadamia nut tree was planted in 1858 by Walter Hill.[7] He encouraged the work of the sugar pioneer John Buhot which culminated in the first production of granulated sugar in Queensland in April 1862.[6] A cairn was erected at the site where the sugar cane was grown. Hill also supported the work of the Queensland Acclimatisation Society which was formed in 1862, and the Botanic Gardens was the propagation and distribution point for the Society's imports.[1]
The first jacaranda tree in Australia was planted at the Botanic Gardens in 1864. A curator collected seedlings from an international ship docked in the Brisbane River.[8] The cultural popularity of the jacaranda across Brisbane City was subsequently spawned.
Walter Hill Fountain, 2020
By 1866 Hill had succeeded in having the extent of the Botanic Gardens enlarged to approximately 27 acres (11ha). A 10-acre (4.0ha) strip along Alice Street was not part of the Gardens but served as a park and sporting field known as Queen's Park.[1] Early building work in the area included a Superintendent's cottage in the late 1850s, a platform for a battery of cannon in the early 1860s, a stone and iron fence around Queen's Park in 1865–66 [utilising stone from the old gaol on Petrie Terrace], and a drinking fountain in 1867. The fountain, designed by Colonial Architect Charles Tiffin, was erected only a year after reticulated water from the Enoggera reservoir was introduced to Brisbane. It later became known as the Walter Hill fountain.[1]
Scientific activity was complemented by public recreational use of the Gardens, along with the Domain (on the southern boundary of the Gardens) and Queen's Park. By the 1880s, some of the scientific work previously performed by the Botanic Gardens was being carried out by the Queensland Acclimatisation Society at Bowen Park. The Herbarium and Botanic Library were moved from the Gardens for a period but were returned in 1905 when John Frederick Bailey was appointed Curator of the Botanic Gardens.[1]
Underground electricity supply was installed in 1907.[6]
Extensive dredging of Gardens Point in 1915 removed about 9 acres (3.6ha) from the Domain (the southern side of Gardens Point) and Botanic Gardens but in the following year the amalgamation of the Gardens, Queens Park and part of the Domain resulted in a new Botanic Gardens of about 50 acres (20ha).[1]
The extant City Botanic Gardens was formed by the amalgamation of the original Botanic Gardens with the Domain (the southern side of Gardens Point) and Queen's Park in 1916, bringing its total area to around 20 hectares (49 acres);[4] Queen's Park comprised a 10-acre (4.0ha) strip along Alice Street, which originally served as a park and a sporting field, where regular cricket and football matches were held. The former curator's cottage built for John Frederick Bailey, curator from 1905–1917, is now a cafe.[1]
Due to the proximity to the river, the Botanic Gardens have been flooded nine times between 1870–2011. With many plants being washed away, the Brisbane City Council established a new botanic gardens at Mount Coot-tha. Since the opening of the Mount Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in the mid 1970s, the Brisbane Botanic Gardens has become principally a recreational venue. Re-development of the Gardens in the late 1980s saw the introduction of new recreational structures and restoration work on the former Queen's Park fence.[1]
The Gardens were also the home for over 100 years for Harriet, a tortoise reportedly collected by Charles Darwin during his visit to the Galápagos Islands in 1835 and donated to the Gardens in 1860 by John Clements Wickham, former commander of HMSBeagle and later Government Resident for Moreton Bay. Harriet was named in honour of Harry Oakman, curator of the Gardens from 1945 to 1962 and the creator of the (now disbanded) zoo at the Gardens. The zoo at one time housed more than 400 animal species. From about 1925 it was increasingly under scrutiny for poor animal welfare conditions and unsustainable costs, and was closed in 1958. Harriet lived out her final years at Australia Zoo until dying in June 2006.[6]
Description
Cannon used as part of the colony's defence, cast in 1803Curator's house (now cafe), 2020
The Brisbane Botanic Gardens, occupying 20 hectares (49 acres), is bounded by George and Alice Streets and the Brisbane river. They comprise three major sections: the former Queen's Park along Alice Street, the Botanic Gardens proper (adjacent to the river), and the former Government Domain at the rear of the Queensland University of Technology (formerly part of the grounds to Old Government House).[1]
The gardens house a collection of approximately 600 plant species.[9] Set in undulating grounds, the gardens are bordered by mature shade trees which also create avenues and groves. A lake and formal lawns, gardens and structures provide a diversity of passive recreational activities. A series of interconnecting paths link a riverside concourse with other perimeter paths.[1]
Riverstage, 2014
The gardens contain an avenue of Bunya Pines (Araucaria bidwilli) planted in the 1850s and an avenue of Weeping Figs (Ficus benjamina) planted in the 1870s. It also contains a number of other rare plants, particularly palms and figs – some in formal planting arrangements within the lawns, others within mass planted gardens – and an avenue of Cook Pines (Araucaria columnaris formerly A. cookii).[1]
Queen's Park gate logo from 1865, as seen in 2012
A low stone wall (1860s) surmounted by an iron railing fence runs the length of Alice Street and extends into George Street. Large iron gates provide entry at George, Albert and Edward Streets. A cottage c.1900s, with Arts and Crafts decorative elements, is located at the southern end of the gardens on a hill known as Residence Hill. This building is surrounded by trees and shrubs, some of which are survivors of late 1850s and early 1860s plantings.[1] The City Gardens Cafe operated from the house for many years;[1] in 2016 it is operated as The Garden Club.[10]
In a hollow to the north of Residence Hill, is the Walter Hill fountain.[11] It stands on a stepped octagonal base of three tiers. The body of the fountain continues this shape but tapers towards its top. The lion shaped drinking fountains, presently not functioning, and basins are of white marble in contrast with the freestone of the rest of the structure.[1]
To the south of Residence Hill is a 1980s grassed amphitheatre known as Riverstage facing a stage beside the river. Other structures for public convenience and recreational use are dispersed throughout the gardens.[1]
Access and facilities
Morning Star II by Jon Barlow Hudson
The Gardens are accessible by Alice Street, the Goodwill Bridge and Brisbane City Council's ferries and CityCats at the Gardens Point and Eagle St wharves. The gardens are open 24 hours, with pathways lit at night.
Plant form by Robert Juniper
Features of the Gardens include:
Gardens Cycle Hire station at Albert Street entrance
Morning Star II by Jon Barlow Hudson (from World Expo 88)
Plant form by Robert Juniper
Heritage listing
Brisbane Botanic Gardens was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 February 1997 having satisfied the following criteria.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
The Brisbane Botanic Gardens are historically important as the most significant, non-Aboriginal cultural landscape in Queensland, having a continuous horticultural history since 1828, without any significant loss of land area or change in use over that time. It remains the premier public park and recreational facility for the capital of Queensland, which role it has performed since the early 1840s.[1]
The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
Plant collections date to the 1850s, many having been planted by Walter Hill, the first Director of the Botanic Gardens. Many of the specimens are either rare in cultivation or of great maturity or both. Many important plant introductions to Queensland, of both an agricultural and ornamental nature, can be traced directly to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and the work of its early curators.[1]
The place is important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a particular class of cultural places.
These gardens are important in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an evolving public and botanical garden dating from the mid-19th century, containing the most extensive mature gardens in Queensland. There are a number of historic structures in the gardens, including the Walter Hill Drinking Fountain (1867), the former band pavilion (1878), the boundary stone walls, gates and cast iron railings (1865–85), the former bear pit shelter (1905), the former curator's residence (1909) [now the kiosk], the riverwall from Edward Street to the Domain (1918), the southern stone staircase on the riverbank (1918–19) and the middle and northern stone staircases (both 1923–24). The place also contains a number of historically significant early engineering projects, including the stormwater drainage system (1865 onwards), reticulated water supply from Enoggera Dam (1867) and underground electricity supply for lighting purposes (1907).[1]
The place is important because of its aesthetic significance.
The Brisbane Botanic Gardens are significant as a Brisbane landmark and for their visual amenity and natural wildlife values as the major verdant landscaped area in the city's central business district.[1]
The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
Many important social events have taken place within the gardens, and the place is generally held in high regard by the local community and is a popular destination for visitors to Brisbane.[1]
The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.
Hyde Park, Sydney, is an urban park, of 16.2-hectare (40-acre), located in the central business district of Sydney, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is the oldest public parkland in Australia. Hyde Park is on the eastern fringe of the Sydney city centre and is approximately rectangular in shape, being squared at the southern end and rounded at the northern end. It is bordered on the west by Elizabeth Street, on the east by College Street, on the north by St James Road and Prince Albert Road and on the south by Liverpool Street.
The Domain is a heritage-listed 34-hectare (84-acre) area of open space located on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Separating the central business district from Woolloomooloo, The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The Domain is used as a venue for outdoor concerts, open-air events, large political gatherings and rallies, as well as being used daily by the people of Sydney for exercise and relaxation. Along with the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major 30-hectare (74-acre) botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.
Queens Gardens is a heritage-listed park located on a city block between George Street, Elizabeth Street and William Street in the Brisbane CBD, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from c. 1905 to 1990s. It is also known as Executive Gardens and St Johns Church Reserve. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
New Farm Park is a heritage-listed riverfront public park at 137 Sydney Street, New Farm, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Albert Herbert Foster and built from 1914 to 1950 by Gladwin Legge & Co. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 7 February 2005.
Bowen Park is a heritage-listed park of 17,740 square metres (191,000 sq ft) at O'Connell Terrace, Bowen Hills, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1863 to 1950s. It was also known as the Acclimatisation Society Gardens. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 26 February 1999.
Brisbane City is the central suburb and central business district of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is colloquially referred to as the "Brisbane CBD" or "the city". It is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River, historically known as Meanjin, Mianjin or Meeanjin in the local Aboriginal Australian dialect. The triangular shaped area is bounded by the median of the Brisbane River to the east, south and west. The point, known at its tip as Gardens Point, slopes upward to the north-west where the city is bounded by parkland and the inner city suburb of Spring Hill to the north. The CBD is bounded to the north-east by the suburb of Fortitude Valley. To the west the CBD is bounded by Petrie Terrace, which in 2010 was reinstated as a suburb.
Queens Gardens is a large heritage-listed botanic garden at Paxton Street, North Ward, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Queens Gardens is located at the base of Castle Hill, near to both the city centre and The Strand beachside park. It has been called Townsville's finest park. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 August 2008.
Walter Hill (1819–1904) was the first curator of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Gardens Point in Brisbane, Australia.
Queen's Park is a heritage-listed botanic garden at Sussex Street, Maryborough, Fraser Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. A reserve for the botanical gardens was gazetted in October 1873. It contains the Maryborough War Memorial. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Queens Park is a heritage-listed botanic garden at 43–79 Lindsay Street, East Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland, Toowoomba Region, Australia. It was built from 1875 to 1970s. It also contains the Toowoomba Botanic Gardens. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 April 2001.
Sherwood Arboretum is a heritage-listed arboretum at 39A Turner Street, Sherwood, Queensland, Australia. A 1946 addition to the site is also known as the John Herbert Memorial Vista. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 3 May 2007.
Mowbray Park and East Brisbane War Memorial are a heritage-listed park and monument within the park on Lytton Road, East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1904 to 1974. It is also known as East Brisbane War Memorial and Riversdale. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Eagle Street Fig Trees is a heritage-listed group of trees at 118A Eagle Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. They were planted c. 1889 by Walter Hill. It is also known as Fig Tree Reserve and Plantation Reserve. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 13 May 2004.
Queens Park is a heritage-listed botanic garden and park at Milford Street, Ipswich, City of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. It was built from c. 1864 to 1960s. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 27 September 2002.
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens is a heritage-listed botanic garden at 100 Spencer Street, The Range, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1873 to 1930s. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 July 1999.
Boer War Veterans Memorial Kiosk and Lissner Park is a heritage-listed memorial at Bridge Street, Charters Towers City, Charters Towers, Charters Towers Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1883 to 1988. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
Flecker Botanic Gardens is a heritage-listed botanic garden at Collins Avenue, Edge Hill, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1886 to 1960s. It is now known as Cairns Botanic Gardens, and also known as Edge Hill Nursery, and Fitzalan's Botanical Gardens. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 2 February 2007.
Gallop Botanic Reserve, incorporating Cooktown Botanic Gardens, is a heritage-listed botanic garden at Finch Bay Road, Cooktown, Shire of Cook, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1878 to 1980s. It is also known as Cooktown Botanic Gardens & Recreation Reserve and Queens' Park Gardens & Recreation Reserve. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 13 October 1997.
Laurel Bank Park is a heritage-listed park at the corner of West Street, Hill Street and Herries Street, Toowoomba City, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1904 to 1943. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 30 November 2018.
1 2 Fagg, Murray (26 May 2009). "City Botanic Gardens (Brisbane)". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Council of Heads of Australian Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
↑ Jolly, Paul (1997), "The planning and design of Old Government House", in Shaw, Barry (ed.), Brisbane:Corridors of Power, Papers, vol.15, Brisbane: Brisbane History Group Inc, p.72, ISBN0-9586469-1-0
1 2 3 4 5 6 Gregory, Helen; Dianne Mclay (2010). Building Brisbane's History: Structure, Sculptures, Stories and Secrets. Warriewood, New South Wales: Woodslane Press. pp.54–58. ISBN9781921606199.
↑ "Brisbane City Botanic Garden". Gardening Australia. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 December 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
↑ Dowe, J.L. (2018), Philip John MacMahon: Brisbane Botanic Gardens curator 1889–1905 and his vision of Brisbane as a 'Gity of Palms', Queensland History Journal 23(8) 507–521.
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