Opening hours: 7:30am to 8pm (Daylight Savings Time)
7:30am to 6pm (EST) Aviary hours: 8am to 4pm
The Bendigo Botanic Gardens was gazetted as a reserve in January 1857 and plantings were well under way by 1861. These were the first public gardens in the Bendigo area. Many of the original plantings have survived despite losses due to salinity and drought conditions over the years.
Map directions to Botanic Gardens.
The City of Greater Bendigo has undertaken a master plan for the rejuvenation and extension of the Bendigo Botanic Gardens, White Hills (BBG). This document will guide the restoration of the existing culturally significant Gardens and plan for an extension, creating a significant, new, engaging and contemporary facility. The master plan was developed over two years, and was adopted in February 2010. Recommendations from the master plan are currently being implemented. For any enquiries regarding this document, please contact the Landscape & Open Space Planning Unit on 5434 6370.
The Bendigo Botanic Gardens Master Plan can be viewed in two parts:
The gardens has always kept animals on display - at the moment Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and Sulphur Crested Cockatoo's (Cacatua galerita) can be seen. There is also a walk through aviary which houses 11 species of Australian seed and fruit eating parrots. Of particular interest are the two 'long-tailed' parrot species, (the Superb and Princess Parrots), as these have restricted home ranges and are now threatened in the wild.
The Arch of Triumph was erected in 1925 as a memorial to local servicemen who served in World War 1. The 1925 Arch of Triumph is of historical and architectural significance as a rare example of this building type in Victoria. The only other arches, all World War 1 memorials and of different designs, occur at Ballarat (1920), Murtoa (1921) and Mansfield (c1923). The Arch incorporates a list of servicemen on two metal plates.
The lagoon was once part of the Bendigo Creek, before it was straightened in the 1870's. It is the only original section of the Bendigo Creek existing today giving it great heritage significance.
The gardens are of aesthetic significance, forming a picturesque landscape around a central lake planted with remnant River Red Gums and exotic trees. The mature conifer planting along the western boundary comprising of Pinus pinea, P. radiata, P. halepensis and individually significant P. torreyana and P. roxburghii, both rare in cultivation, is an important and prominent landscape planting. The landscape is further enhanced by an avenue of Ulmus x hollandica along the southern boundary, stands of Eucalyptus, including remnant E. camaldulensis, E. melliodora, and a cultivated E. globulus subsp. globulus. Near the main entrance are two large Ficus macrophylla and a Cedrus deodara. The gardens are of scientific (botanical) significance for a number of rare plants and fine specimens. The Dovyalis caffra (Kei Apple) of which the only other example is at Werribee Park and a small plant in the Royal Botanic Gardens; is the finest and largest of the species in Victoria. For more information Heritage Victoria.
The Botanic Gardens has conducted numerous projects involving school children and the wider community such as the sunflower beds, the blue-stone maze, the winter vegetables and water week projects.
Restoration works have started with paths being reinstated to reflect the gardens' layout of more than 100 years ago. The works are based on an aerial photo taken in 1934. Planting of the restored section of the Botanic Gardens has begun by the relocation of three established palms. One of the palms is a rare Jelly Palm (Butia capitata) that originally occurs in Brazil and Uruguay, another is a Mexican Palm (Washingtonia robusta), which is a recognisable plant around Bendigo. The third palm is the rare Wine Palm (Jubaea chilensis) from Chile which was grown from seed by members of the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic Gardens.
Botanic Gardens brochure
Bendigo Botanic Gardens website
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