Saturday 4 February 2012

FITZROY GARDENS 1

The Fitzroy Gardens are a 26 hectare (64 acre) urban park located on the southeastern edge of the Melbourne Central Business District in East Melbourne. The gardens are bounded by Clarendon Street, Albert Street, Lansdowne Street, and Wellington Parade with the Treasury Gardens across Lansdowne street to the west. The gardens are one of the major Victorian era landscaped gardens in Australia and add to Melbourne's claim to being the garden city of Australia. Set within the gardens are: An ornamental lake, kiosk and cafe, a conservatory, Captain Cooks' Cottage (a house where James Cook reputedly spent some years of his childhood - the cottage was in England at that time and was transported to Australia - more of that in a future post). Sinclair’s Cottage (Visitor information), model Tudor village, fountains and sculptures, a band pavilion, the rotunda and the fairy tree.


The most notable feature of the Gardens is the wonderful trees that have been used to line many of the pathways (set out like the radiating stripes of the Union Jack). The gardens were initially designed by Clement Hodgkinson and planted by park gardener, James Sinclair, as a dense woodland with meandering avenues. The land originally had been swampy with a creek draining into the Yarra River. The creek was landscaped with ferns and 130 willows, but that did not stop it smelling foul from the sewage from the houses of East Melbourne. The creek was used for irrigation of the western side of the gardens for fifty years. In the early 1900s the creek water substantially improved when sewerage mains were installed to the residences of East Melbourne. During the 1880s and 1890s many of the blue gums and elms were removed to create more room for existing trees, as well as sweeping lawns and ornamental flowerbeds. Further landscaping and beautification features formed the gardens into what they are today: An oasis of green and urban serenity, within walking distance of the CBD.


This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme.


The "Grey Street" fountain is one of the oldest fountains to be found in Melbourne’s Gardens. It was first commenced in 1863 under the direction of C. Hodgkinson, the Assistant Commissioner of Lands and Survey. In the distance to the right is the old, square "Bandstand" is of Corinthian design and enclosed by a low iron fence. It was designed and erected by George Dodd in 1864 at a cost of £322.

Serene reflections...

Two native rainbow lorikeets using the fountain as a giant birdbath!

The Common Indian Myna is an introduced species and it has become a serious threat to the ecosystems of Australia. They still look quite pretty, though...

This is the introduced rock dove, also known as feral pigeon or racing pigeon. 

The "Temple of the Winds" rotunda is located north west of the kiosk and was constructed in 1873 under Bickford’s curatorship. The building consists of a domed concrete roof supported by ten Corinthian columns. The temple was erected by Thomas Julian and Co. at a cost of £275. It has 10 columns as opposed tot he usual 8 or 12 (being more easily divisible to indicate the points of the compass).

15 comments:

  1. those are interesting markings on the rock dove.

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  2. Your environment amazes ! Thank you very much for this nice escape. Please have you all a good weekend.


    daily athens photo

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  3. City gardens are great places for photo shoots and you have some lovely captures here Nick. The old fountain is a real treasure ..... 1863 is a long time to be standing and still intact.

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  4. What an amazing place to explore.

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  5. What a gorgeous place, Nick! Definitely a terrific place for photo shoots and you surely made the most of it! Such colorful and beautiful captures. Love the old fountain and the beautiful birds! All of that and wonderful reflections!! Doesn't get any better! Have a great weekend!

    Sylvia

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  6. Delightful impressions of the gardens from landscape to macros of the feathered wildlife! The fountain and rotunda have a wonderful classic beauty!

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  7. Three different kinds of birds look cute, especially the rock dove wearing a cool scarf.
    Have a great Sunday, Nick.

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  8. I am liking this park more and more! Love your reflections and those colorful birds are so pretty! I can't imagine seeing them flying around in nature. We'd only see them in cages here.

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  9. What a wonderful post and thanks for the fasincating history- calm, peace and birds.

    Chrissy at Mancunian Wave photo blog

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  10. Beautiful series of images of Fitzroy Gardens Nick, love the reflections of the fountain and the beautiful Rosellas having a dip.

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  11. What a beautiful series of images. Great reflections! Fitzroy Gradens are really lovely

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  12. Love the rotunda and the fountain...and of course the rainbow lorikeets.

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  13. Beautiful place! I love the reflection!

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  14. Beautiful place and photos.

    Regards and best wishes

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  15. The dove is not a rock dove/feral pigeon/racing pigeon.

    It is Steptopelia chinensis known locally as spotted turtle dove and sometimes called spotted dove and turtle dove.

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