Rockhampton Botanic Gardens facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, 2010
Location	100 Spencer Street, The Range, Rockhampton, Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia
Design period	1870s - 1890s (late 19th century)
Built	1873 - 1930s

Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Type	state heritage (landscape, built)
Designated	23 July 1999
Reference no.	601819
Significant period	1873-1930s (fabric) 1869, 1873 (historical) 1869-ongoing (social)
Significant components	aviary, gate - entrance, kiosk, fernery, tree groups - avenue of, clock - floral, steps/stairway, memorial - obelisk, orchard, zoological garden, residential accommodation - staff housing, trees/plantings, sports facilities, drainage, clubroom/s / clubhouse

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The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens is a special place in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It's a botanic garden that has been around for a long time. You can find it at 100 Spencer Street in The Range.

This garden was built between 1873 and the 1930s. It was officially added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 23 July 1999. This means it's a very important historical site!

A Look at the Gardens' History

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens covers a huge area of 33 hectares (that's about 81 acres!). It's located west of the Athelstane Range. Two lagoons, the Murray Lagoon and Yeppen-Yeppen Lagoon, border it.

The gardens are a mix of beautiful plants and buildings. They've been used continuously since they first opened in 1873. It's a great spot for learning and having fun!

How the Gardens Started

The land for the gardens was set aside in 1869. Before that, from 1861, some of the land was used as a barracks for the Native Police.

A local plant expert named Anthelme Thozet helped choose the perfect spot for the gardens. They picked the Spencer Street site because it was close to the Murray Lagoon, which provided a steady water supply. The views from the Athelstane Range were also amazing!

Early Days and Plant Collections

Work on the first part of the gardens began in 1873. The first curator, James Scott Edgar, moved into a small building on the grounds. He had trained at the famous Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England. This first area is still called the "lower gardens."

Many important botanists helped the gardens grow. Ferdinand von Mueller from Melbourne Botanic Gardens and Walter Hill from Brisbane City Botanic Gardens sent plants. The Queensland Acclimatisation Society also provided many plants and seeds.

Edgar kept strong connections with other botanic gardens around the world. He collected plants and seeds from Rockhampton and sent them out. In return, he received new plants and seeds to grow in the gardens.

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens also helped schools. They were a main place for distributing trees for Arbor Day. They sent out about 1000 trees from their nurseries! The gardens were a place for science and fun.

Fun by the Lagoon

The Murray Lagoon was once a popular swimming spot in Rockhampton. Edgar even added a diving platform and sand to make it feel like a beach! He used bamboo to separate the swimming areas for men and women.

The lagoon was a favorite place for picnics in the late 1800s. It also supplied water to the gardens and was part of Rockhampton's original water system.

Growing Bigger and Adding New Features

In 1905, the Rockhampton City Council officially took over the gardens. The area of the gardens grew to 197 acres!

Richard Simmons became the new curator. He worked hard to cultivate more of the land. During his time, fun new things were added, like a children's playground, a zoo, a bandstand, and a kiosk.

The kiosk was built in 1911 and opened on New Year's Day 1912. It was designed by the city's chief engineer, Mr. G. Pennycuick. It was a cool octagonal (eight-sided) building with open sides.

Palms in Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, circa 1897

Support and Changes After World War I

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Stock helped fund the gardens with a yearly grant. Money also came from donations and selling plants from the nursery. Richard Simmons, who used to be a nurseryman, was very good at keeping the money flowing. They even sent plant catalogues to places like the Singapore Botanic Gardens!

After World War I, the gardens changed. Some land was used to create Diggers Park. A section of the gardens was set aside for the Rockhampton War Memorial. This memorial is a tall, grey granite obelisk, about 64 feet (19.5 meters) high. It's surrounded by Canary Island Date Palms and plants shaped like ANZAC, Navy, Army, and RAAF symbols.

New Curators and Features

In 1930, Richard Simmons' son, H. George Simmons, became the curator. Money was tight, so the gardens didn't expand much. People also started going to beach resorts like Emu Park and Yeppoon more often.

However, a special building called the Hugo Lassen Fernery was built in 1938. Hugo Lassen was a local dentist who left money to the gardens. The fernery is a fancy building shaped like a cross, filled with rocks and an amazing collection of exotic ferns.

George Simmons also planted the beautiful avenue of Bunya Pines and Bougainvillea at the Ann Street entrance. A pinetum (a collection of pine trees) was also started, with Kauri, Radiata, and Hoop pines. New entrance gates were put up in 1953 to honor King George V.

Community Involvement

Throughout history, many people have helped work in the gardens. Unemployed workers often helped out, especially during the 1930s, building stone paths and drains. Even today, community programs help keep the gardens looking great.

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are still a very popular place for families. The barbeque and playground areas are always busy. Even though the gardens don't focus as much on scientific research now, they still have amazing old trees from the 1800s and early 1900s. They offer a cool, green escape in Rockhampton's hot climate.

What You Can See Today

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are a large, beautiful area. They are west of the Athelstane Range and next to the Murray and Yeppen-Yeppen Lagoons. The Rockhampton Golf Club is to the north, and homes are to the east.

The gardens have different sections: the lower gardens, upper gardens, outer gardens, war memorial gardens, and arid gardens.

Entrances and Main Features

The main entrance is on Spencer Street, with fancy stone pillars and iron gates. Another entrance on Ann Street has a lovely avenue of Bunya Pines and Bougainvillea flowers. Along this avenue, you'll find clubs like the Rockhampton Croquet Club and Athelstane Bowls Club.

Near the main circular drive, there's a small building called the community services building. Behind it is the Hugo Lassen Fernery. This fernery is made of timber slats and shaped like a cross. Inside, you'll find rock gardens and a wonderful collection of exotic ferns.

Hugo Lassen Fernery, 2008

In the center of the circular drive is a special

Floral clock, 1999

floral clock. It's made of concrete and planted with colorful flowers. A small plaque tells you it was donated by the Rotary Club of Rockhampton.

The Kiosk and War Memorial

The kiosk is south of the fernery. It's surrounded by huge Banyan fig trees that create a cool, shady spot. The kiosk building has three parts: the original octagonal part from 1912, a toilet block added in 1966, and a kitchen added in 1997. You can sit under the fig trees and enjoy a snack.

Banyan fig tree in the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens, 1910

Banyan fig, 2009

South of the kiosk, in the upper gardens, is the Rockhampton War Memorial. It's a 64-foot (19.5-meter) tall granite obelisk on a raised circular area. It's circled by Canary Island Date Palms.

Play Areas and Other Gardens

The children's playground is under big shade trees, including weeping figs and other fig types. There's also a barbecue shelter nearby.

Other cool parts of the gardens include:

The lower gardens with an old mango orchard.
The arid garden, with plants that like dry weather.
The pinetum, with tall Kauri, Radiata, and Hoop pines.
The outer gardens with fig trees and ginger plants.
The zoological gardens and picnic area near the Murray Lagoon.

Why These Gardens Are Special

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because they are very important.

A Piece of Queensland's History

These gardens show how Rockhampton grew as a major city in central Queensland. They prove that people wanted a place for science, education, and fun. As one of the first parks in Rockhampton, they show the city's dedication to providing great places for its people.

Unique Features

The gardens have some very rare plants, or plants that are very old. The zoological park (zoo) is also special. Many botanic gardens used to have zoos, but it's uncommon now. This makes the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens important for showing how botanic gardens have changed over time.

A Classic Botanic Garden

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are a great example of a regional botanic garden. They were part of a big network of gardens around the world, with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as a main center. They focused on growing amazing collections of living plants. You can see exotic plants from the 1800s that were grown for beauty, money, or experiments. Important buildings include the Kiosk (1912), the War Memorial (1924), and the Hugo Lassen Fernery (1938).

Beautiful and Loved

Many important events have happened in these gardens. People in the community love them, and visitors to Rockhampton enjoy them too. They are a well-known landmark and a beautiful green space.

Connected to Important People

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens have a special link to the curators who helped them grow. These include James Scott Edgar (1873-1903), Richard Simmons (1903-1930), Henry George Simmons (1930-1960), Ken C. Baker (1961-1972), and Tom Wyatt (1972-1998). Their hard work made the gardens what they are today.