The Ballarat Botanical Gardens Reserve, located on the western shore of picturesque

Lake Wendouree Lake Wendouree () is an artificially created and maintained shallow urban lake located adjacent to the suburb of the same name in the city of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The name Wendouree comes from a local Aboriginal word ''wendaaree'' ...

, in

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. Within months of Vi ...

, Victoria, Australia, covers an area of 40 hectares which is divided into three distinct zones. The central Botanical Gardens reserve in the 'gardenesque' style of the Victorian pleasure garden. On either side there are open parkland buffers known as the North and South Gardens. The Gardens celebrated its sesquicentenary (150 years old) in 2007. Renowned fly fishing author

Alfred Ronalds Alfred Ronalds (10 July 180223 April 1860) was an English author, artisan and Australian pioneer, best known for his book ''The Fly-fisher's Entomology''. Life and family Early years He was born at No 1 Highbury Terrace, Highbury, the eleventh ch ...

provided some of the first trees and plants for the gardens from his nursery on the other side of the lake.

Features

Hercules statue at Ballarat botanical garden

The gardens feature a large modern conservatory, returned Ex-POW war memorial, and the heritage statuary pavilion. The Stoddart Statue collection consists of 12 white marble figures from Italy donated by Thomas Stoddart in 1884. The 12 statues were figures from classical mythology: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

, Pomona,

Bacchante In Greek mythology, maenads (; grc, μαινάδες ) were the female followers of Dionysus and the most significant members of the Thiasus, the god's retinue. Their name literally translates as "raving ones". Maenads were known as Bassarids, ...

, Hebe, Flora Farnese, Leda, Mercury and

Flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring ( indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. ...

. They were badly damaged by vandals in 2002 and were placed in the statuary pavilion after repair. The statues were returned to their original 1884 pedestals in March 2010. A collection of bronze busts of all Australian Prime Ministers named

Prime Ministers Avenue The Prime Ministers Avenue is a collection of busts of the prime ministers of Australia, located at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens in Ballarat, Victoria. The busts are displayed as bronze portraits mounted on polished granite pedestals. It a ...

is set within Horse Chestnut Avenue. One of the founding fathers of

Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-gover ...

was

Alfred Deakin Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919) was an Australian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Australia. He was a leader of the movement for Federation, which occurred in 1901. During his three terms as prime ministe ...

who was the first Federal Member for

and the second Prime Minister. The first 12 busts were donated by

Richard Crouch Richard Armstrong Crouch (19 June 1868 – 7 April 1949) was an Australian politician. His two periods as a member of the House of Representatives (1901–1910, 1929–1931) were separated by the First World War, during which he became an anti- ...

who also left a bequest to add further busts. The South Gardens has Australia's

Ex Prisoner of War Memorial The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial was dedicated on Friday, 6 February 2004. It is located on the southern approaches to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, on Wendouree Parade and adjacent to Lake Wendouree. Purpose Now recognised nation ...

, opened on 6 February 2004. Designed by Ballarat artist Peter Blizzard, the 130-metre long granite wall has the names of 35,000 Australian Prisoners of War etched into it.

References

Botanical gardens in Victoria (Australia) Ballarat 1857 establishments in Australia {{Australia-garden-stub