Garden Heritage Tour

Ballarat Botanical Gardens

This is a picturesque 40 hectare precinct celebrated for being one of the most significent cool climate gardens in Australia.

Established in 1858, the garden is an invaluable heritage and recreation resource enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

The garden's first curator, George Longley, worked tirelessly to kake his vision a reality - even erecting a tent and living on-site for the first two years so he could work throughout the day and into the night on its creation.

Today the garden boasts a remarkable collection of mature trees and statues.

1. The Conservatory and Robert Clark Centre:

This architectural gem is a state-of-the-art walk-through floral conservatory featuring a spectacular 13-metre high glass roof constructed by an intricate web of steel.

 Architect Peter Elliott developed the multi-faceted planes of glass after experimenting with paper folding. His unique design was inspired by "the great physical presence, large volume interiors and strong geometry" of world famous conservatories like the Palm House at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, England.

The Conservatory, built in 1995, is a landmark in Ballarat and was constructed thanks to a generous $2 million bequest from the grandson of the late Robert Clark, who dearly wanted to fund a project that would serve as a permanent memorial to his grandfather. Robert Clark was the co-founder and proprietor of the local newspaper, the Ballarat Courier.

2.Floral Finery:

The floral displays within the Conservatory change with the seasons. Each change requires a total re-landscaping of the interior by nursery staff from the City of Ballarat which has cared for the  displays for more than a century. One of the most prominent displays is the world famous Ballarat Begonia Festival in March each year.

3. The Stoddart Statues:

Each of the 12 marbel statues within the Conservatory depicts a figure from classical mythology: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Hercules, Pomona, Bacchante, Hebe, Flora Farnese, Leda, Mercury and Flora. The statues were an impressive gift by Thomas Stoddart, bought during a visit to Carrara in Italy, and unveiled with much pomp and ceremony at the gardens on Empire Day 1884.

4. Adam Lindsay Craft Cottage:

Nestled in the gardens, this quaint cottage was once the humble home of the celebrated Australian poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon, who lived in Ballarat during the 1860's. Relocated to the gardens in 1934, the cottage now houses an extensive range of local craftwork created and offered for sale by members of the Craft Council of Ballarat.

5. The Sensory Garden:

This garden contains a collection of plants that appeal to the sense of touch, smell and taste. Encircling a stunning fountain in raised beds, this tranquil setting makes it a popular location for wedding ceremonies.

6. Vintage Trams:

Trams were once a familiar sight around Ballarat, rumbling through the streets along the  20km of line that snaked through the city. Ballarat pulsed with the sould of trams for more than 80 years, and it was one of the last provincial cities in Australia to retain trams.

The vintage electric tramway, which dates back to 1887, operates on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from noon to 5pm along the banks of Lake Wendouree.

7. The Ballarat Tramway Museum:

Volunteers have preserved 15 historic trams and a range of related memorabilia from Ballarat's tramway era. The Museum is open on weekends and public and school holidays.

8. Prime Ministers Avenue:

Come face to face with John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke in the avenue, which features a collection of bronze busts of every Australian Prime Minister, starting with the first, Edmund Barton.  Set within the magnificent Horse Chestnut Avenue in the Ballraat Botanical Gardens, all 25 Prime Ministers are depicted as bronze portraits mounted on polished granite pedestals, created by four Victorian sculptors.

9. The Sequoiadendron Avenue

This romantic avenue of towering trees is listed on the National Trust Significant Trees Register. The magnificent redwood (Sequoiadendron) trees, planted between 1863 and 1874, are a dominant feature of the landscape. Note the long arching low branches, which are marked with generations of child's play. Other landmark trees include the turkey oak at the entrance to the Prime Ministers Avenue, the druids oak at the rear of the Craft Cottage, the huge blue gum dominating the sensory garden and the weeping elms mear the wishing well.