Queens Gardens, Dunedin facts for kids

Queens Gardens (sometimes called Queen's Gardens) is a lovely park with trees and grass in the middle of Dunedin, New Zealand. It's shaped a bit like a triangle.

Where are Queens Gardens?

The Gardens are at the top end of the Warehouse Precinct, which is an area with old buildings. They are also about 200 metres east of The Exchange. The Exchange used to be the main business area of the city.

Big roads go around Queens Gardens. Some of these roads are part of State Highway 1, which is a very important road in New Zealand. One part of this highway even cuts through the very edge of the Gardens. This means the area around Queens Gardens can be quite busy with traffic.

What Can You See in the Gardens?

There are many interesting things to see inside Queens Gardens:

• A Celtic Cross stands at the north end. It was built in the year 2000 to remember the city's first European settlers.
• Statues of important people are also there. You can find a statue of Queen Victoria, who was a famous queen, and Donald M. Stuart, who was one of the people who helped start Dunedin.
• The biggest thing in the Gardens is the city's main war memorial, called the Dunedin Cenotaph. It's a tall, eight-sided column that stands about 28 metres (92 feet) high. It was built between 1924 and 1927.
• Next to the Cenotaph is a smaller memorial. It lists the names of New Zealanders who won the Victoria Cross, which is a very brave award.
• Many trees around the edge of Queens Gardens were planted to remember different war anniversaries. Each tree has a plaque (a small sign) explaining what it remembers.
• Every year in April, people gather at the Gardens for ANZAC Day. This is a special day to remember soldiers who fought for New Zealand.

Dunedin Cenotaph in Queens Gardens, with Toitū Otago Settlers Museum in the background.

A Look Back: History of the Gardens

Queens Gardens sits on land that used to be part of the harbour. This area was filled in with land at the end of the 1800s. It was a very important spot because it was close to where the Māori canoes used to land.

The area was first called "The Triangle." In 1904, it was officially named "Victoria Gardens." But soon, people started calling it "The Queen's Gardens," and that's how it got its current name, Queens Gardens.

Central Dunedin. Queens Gardens is the triangular green area to the right of the 4.

Buildings Around the Gardens

Because Queens Gardens is so close to The Exchange, it's surrounded by many important and old buildings. A lot of these buildings were built when Dunedin was very rich during the Central Otago Gold Rush in the 1860s. Some of these historic buildings, like Consultancy House, look out over the Gardens.

The old Warehouse Precinct starts just south of Queens Gardens. Its main street, Vogel Street, ends right at the Gardens. Another historic area called Burlington Street goes north from the Gardens.

Some other famous buildings near Queens Gardens include:

• The old NZR Bus depot on the east side of the Gardens. It's now part of the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, which is a museum about Dunedin's history.
• Right next to the museum is the Dunedin Chinese Garden, a beautiful garden built in a traditional Chinese style.
• The First Church of Otago sits on a rocky hill overlooking the north end of the Gardens.
• Other historic buildings like the Imperial Building and Commercial Building are nearby. This area is also known for its art, with many galleries and artist studios.
• Phoenix House and the New Zealand Insurance Company Building are also historic buildings in the area.
• Dunedin's famous railway station is about 350 metres northeast of the Gardens. It's known around the world for its amazing architecture.

Dunedin's Millennium Cross stands at the northern end of the gardens. The scaffolded Imperial Building and Cream-coloured Commercial Building are visible in the background at the foot of Dowling Street.