Johnstone Park facts for kids
Johnstone Park is a beautiful garden in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It's a special place with lots of green space and interesting buildings around it. You can find it surrounded by streets like Railway Terrace and Gheringhap Street.
Many important buildings are right next to the park. These include the Geelong Town Hall, the Geelong Art Gallery, the Geelong Library, and the Geelong Railway Station. In the middle of the park, there's a war memorial and a bandstand where music used to be played.
Contents
History
How the Park Began
Long ago, the area where Johnstone Park now stands was a natural waterway called Western Gully. Water flowed through it towards Corio Bay. In 1849, a dam was built at one end of this gully. It was near where Gheringhap, Malop, and Mercer streets meet today.
The dam was fenced in 1851 because it was dangerous. People and horses had accidentally drowned there. Later, in March 1872, this area was officially turned into a park. It was named after Robert De Bruce Johnstone, who used to be the mayor of Geelong.
Early Features and Changes
The park originally stretched quite far, from Gheringhap Street to Latrobe Terrace. In December 1872, the first band concert was held here by the Geelong Artillery Corps band. An eight-sided wooden bandstand was put up in the park in November 1873.
In 1874, a special fountain called the Belcher Fountain was placed near the park. It was a gift to Geelong from another former mayor, George Frederick Belcher.
The park's size changed over time. In 1872, it was split when the Geelong railway line was extended south. A footbridge was built so people could still cross over the railway tracks. Johnstone Park became even smaller in 1887 when the Gordon Technical College was built on its western side.
Adding Important Landmarks
The Geelong Art Gallery was built next to the park in 1915. Later, in 1926, a war memorial was added. This memorial honored local people who lost their lives in World War I. It included a Peace Memorial building and a special entrance gate at Railway Terrace.
The bandstand, built in 1919, is right in line with the Peace Memorial and the gateway. This bandstand is very important and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
The Belcher Fountain also moved around a bit! In 1912, it was moved into Johnstone Park because new electric trams in Geelong needed its spot. But when the tram system closed in 1956, the fountain was moved back to its original place. It was removed again in 2006 for repairs and put back near its first location in 2008.
Images for kids
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Plaque detailing history of Belcher Fountain
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Plaque detailing history of Johnstone Park and LaTrobe Dam.
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'The Spirit of Anzac' sculpture at Johnstone Park
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War memorial
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Sunken garden
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Sculpture marking the formation of Apex Clubs of Australia in Geelong in 1931
