Description of the attraction
Geelong Botanical Gardens are located in East Park at the eastern end of the city's CBD. The garden was established in 1851 and is thus the fourth oldest botanical garden in Australia.
In 1850, the territory of the current botanical garden was reserved as a place of public recreation, occupying almost the entire area of the current East Park. However, later, the garden itself was fenced off from the territory of the park itself.
By the end of the 19th century, the botanical garden already housed a huge fern greenhouse, a road for carriages 4, 8 km long, an aviary for birds, a room for monkeys and a fish nursery. In 1859, a winter garden and a greenhouse were built here. In 1885, a fern greenhouse was opened: it was 37 meters long, 18.5 meters wide and was located in the place where the George Hitchcock fountain stands today. A year later, a pond was added to the greenhouse, and a year later a third section - the total length of the greenhouse was 92 meters. But by 1920, the ferns were overgrown, and after the Second World War, the greenhouse was demolished, as the wooden structure began to collapse.
In 2002, the botanical garden underwent significant changes: galleries were opened for plants of arid climates and Australian plants. Australian baobabs were planted at the entrance and the garden was decorated with sculptures. Plant collections were placed in various thematic zones. For example, in the "Edible Garden" you can see plants that provide us with food. The collection of pelargonium contains several types of these amazingly beautiful flowers. One of the garden's most popular galleries is the Rose Collection, planted in 1995. The pride of the garden are trees planted in the middle of the 19th century - for example, Chilean wine raffia.
Today Geelong Botanical Garden is listed as a Victorian heritage site.
