Bowen Park, Brisbane facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bowen Park
Bandstand in Bowen Park
Location	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Area	17,740m²
Created	1863
Operated by	Brisbane City Council
Designation	State Heritage Place (Queensland Heritage Register)

Bowen Park is a special heritage-listed park in Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It covers about 17,740 square metres (191,000 sq ft) and has been a public park since 1863. It was once known as the Acclimatisation Society Gardens. The park is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its important history and beautiful design.

History of Bowen Park

How Bowen Park Started

Bowen Park is a small part of a much larger piece of land. This land was originally almost 40 acres (16 ha). It was once a brick-making area, so the soil wasn't great for gardens.

In 1863, the Queensland Acclimatisation Society (QAS) received land for gardens. This area was far from the city center back then. The QAS named their new gardens "Bowen Park" after Sir George Ferguson Bowen, who was the first Governor of Queensland. He was also a big supporter of the QAS.

The Acclimatisation Society Gardens

The QAS was formed in 1862. Its main goal was to bring new plants to Queensland. They wanted to see if these plants could grow well in Australia. From Bowen Park, they tested and grew many crops. These included mango trees, ginger, sugar cane, and olive trees.

The QAS also helped make Queensland's towns and homes more beautiful. They provided ornamental trees and shrubs to churches, cemeteries, and other places. They even held educational meetings about plants. While other societies focused on animals, the QAS mostly worked with plants. However, they did have some animals like deer, llamas, and various birds on display at times.

William Soutter was the park's overseer from 1885 to 1898. He was very skilled in gardening and science. Thanks to him, Bowen Park became famous for both its experiments and its beautiful displays.

Park Design and Features

Bowen Park was different from the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens, which started in 1855. The City Botanic Gardens had straight paths and simple plant rows. Bowen Park, however, was designed to look wild and tropical. It had many decorative features that made it special.

Some of these features included a four-meter-high fountain made of coral stone, decorated with shells and ferns. There were also statues, urns, giant clam shells, and even an archway made from a whale jaw-bone! The park had winding paths and dense plants, making it feel like an exotic jungle.

Changes Over Time

In 1875, the Queensland National Agricultural and Industrial Association (RNA) was formed. They leased part of the QAS land for their annual exhibitions, which are now known as the Ekka. Over the years, more land was taken for the RNA and for building a railway line. By 1906, the QAS had moved most of its operations.

The Brisbane Municipal Council bought the remaining part of Bowen Park. They officially opened it as a public park on June 11, 1914. The Council used the park for public enjoyment and as a nursery for other city parks.

Henry Moore, the Council's first Parks Superintendent, made many improvements. He added a bandstand rotunda, a water system, and new entrance gates. He also created many flower beds, including a circular design around a palm tree. Four statues from the old QAS fountain were moved to open lawns. Public toilets were built in 1915.

Between 1950 and 1959, Harry Oakman, another Parks Superintendent, made more changes. He added paths and drinking fountains. He also redesigned garden beds to create colorful patterns. He kept many of the old trees, like fig trees, bunya pines, and phoenix palms.

Since 1960, the park's structure and paths have been maintained. Many of the original display beds have been changed or removed.

What You Can See Today

Bowen Park is located on a busy road, but it feels like a peaceful escape. You can still see parts of its history from different time periods. This includes old trees from the QAS days, designs from Henry Moore's time, and changes made by Harry Oakman.

Entrances and Paths

The main entrances are along Bowen Bridge Road. One entrance has a decorative iron arch with "BOWEN PARK" written on it. There are also stone stairways and paths that lead into the park. Along this road, you'll see hedges, flower beds, and lawns.

Buildings and Features

The park has a small, historic toilet block on the Bowen Bridge Road side. It's made of brick with a tiled roof. There are also bus shelters nearby, but they are not part of the park itself.

On the O'Connell Terrace side, you'll find low stone walls and hedges. Palms mark two pedestrian entries. The northern lawns have old trees like leopard trees and fig trees. These trees frame the north entrance.

Central Garden Areas

In the middle of the park, large fig trees create a shady canopy. Underneath them are gardens with subtropical plants. These fig trees might have been planted when the QAS first started the gardens.

The Rotunda lawns are a main focus of the park. The lawns slope down from Bowen Bridge Road. The main path curves through this area. The bandstand rotunda and colorful flower beds are central to this part of the park. You can still see trees from the QAS period, like bunya and hoop pines. The semi-circle of poinciana trees was planted in 1914.

The Bandstand Rotunda

The bandstand rotunda is an octagonal (eight-sided) wooden structure. It has a bell-shaped roof and decorative timber details. It was built in 1914 and is a great spot for visitors to relax or for performances. It looks similar to the rotunda in New Farm Park.

Why Bowen Park is Important

A Look into Queensland's Past

Bowen Park is important because it shows how Queensland has changed over time. It was once the site of the Queensland Acclimatisation Society (QAS) gardens from 1863 to 1914. Some plants from that time still remain. They show how the QAS helped develop farming and gardens in Queensland.

The park was also one of the first parks created by the Brisbane Municipal Council. This shows how important parks and green spaces were to the city.

Bowen Park is part of a larger historic area around York's Hollow. This area includes other important places like the RNA Grounds (Ekka showgrounds) and the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

Design and Beauty

Bowen Park shows different styles of garden design from over the years. It has elements from the Victorian era, the Edwardian period, and more modern styles. The ornamental flower beds from 1914 and the 1950s are still mostly there. They show the popular decorative styles of those times. The park's design, with its hedges and plant beds, shows how garden design changed.

The park is also very beautiful. Its colorful plants, stone walls, and attractive entrance gates make it stand out. The 1914 bandstand rotunda, the 1915 toilet block (one of Brisbane's oldest), and stone stairs all add to its historic beauty.

Community Connection

Bowen Park has been a public garden since 1863. It has always been a place for people to relax and enjoy. This makes it very important to the community.

Important People

The park is linked to several important people in Queensland's history:

• Sir George Ferguson Bowen: The first Governor of Queensland and the first supporter of the QAS.
• William Soutter: The overseer of the QAS gardens from 1885 to 1898. He helped develop horticulture (plant growing) in Queensland.
• Henry Moore: A professional landscape gardener who designed parts of Bowen Park in 1914. He also designed parts of New Farm Park.
• Harry Oakman: The Parks Superintendent for Brisbane City Council from 1948 to 1963. He was the first trained landscape architect hired by the Queensland government. His designs influenced many public parks in Brisbane.

Images for kids

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  Major trees, 2005

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  Pathway to the toilets, 2005

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  Lawns, 2005