|
|
 |
Page Last Updated:
Friday, 3 July 2009 |
|
|
Home>Council Services>Parks & Natural Environment>Parks and Gardens>Rosalind Park
Cnr View street & Pall Mall
Rosalind Park Open: All hours.
Childrens Garden Open: Non-School hours.
|  | | |
| The Beginning | | Gold has had a profound effect on our landscape. Prior to 1851 the area we now call Rosalind Park was a grassy woodland with large River Red Gums lining the creek that was a chain of deep, permanent fresh water pools. The creek would have been an important source of food and water for the Dja Dja Wrung people who lived in the area. The 1851 gold rush transformed this little valley into crazy jumble of shallow shafts, mullock heaps and puddling mills. The story of Rosalind Park is about the transformation of a goldfield into an important public park.
| |
| Bendigo Creek | | The iron bridges over the creek link the historically significant Rosalind Park to the surrounding 19th century street scape. They were built in 1882 to replace earlier narrower structures. A Royal Commission recommended the construction of a timber box drain along the realigned creek in 1857, completed in the early 1860's. Later, to improve channel drainage, the creek was widened, lined with flagstones and walled with sandstone capped with granite. This is a significant example of late 19th century urban infrastructure development and stone masonry.
| 
|
| Barracks Lane | | Barracks Lane is right in the heart of the old Camp Reserve and was the earliest administrative centre of the Bendigo goldfield. A short distance up this lane are the old police barracks, built in 1859 using local sandstone. Back then the barracks would have been conveniently close to the old Supreme Court building which can be seen from the western side of the fernery. Looking back into the Park there is a good view of the avenues of trees that were planted in the latter half of the 19th century. While the numerous elms (Ulmus x hollandica) and oaks (Quercus canariensis x Quercus robur) are the most numerous tree species, the park does have other interesting tree species to look out for: African Yellowwood (Afrocarpus falcata), an avenue of ten mature Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis), Australian Teak (Flindersia australis), Bunya-Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii) and Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta).
| 
|
| Lookout Tower | | The present poppet head lookout tower was erected in1931. It was shifted from the Garden Gully United mine which was one of Bendigo's richest. During the gold rush a flag was flown from the top of Camp Hill to signal the arrival of mail. Because of the absence of trees which were cut down for the mines, the flag could be seen from all parts of Bendigo. It is well worth the climb to the top of the tower as the views over Bendigo are spectacular.
| |
| The Bendigo Heritage Mosaic | | Designed by Maery Gabriel, The Bendigo Heritage Mosaic was completed in 1987 by hundreds of volunteers from the Bendigo community. The mosaic depicts aspects of Bendigo's mining history. It is designed to be viewed from above, on the first level of the lookout tower where there is more information displayed.
| |
| Cascades | | Water features were very popular in the 19th century. They provided a cool green contrast to what would have been a very dusty streetscape outside the park. The cascades constructed in 1880 were designed by architect William Vahland, best known as the architect of many of the significant buildings in Bendigo of the time. The original cascades featured statues, fountains and a grotto that displayed many varieties of ferns. Alas, its ambitious complicated design was seriously flawed and fell into disrepair sometime in the early 20th century. It was partly reconstructed in 1997.
| 
|
| View Street Gates | | The granite gates and iron fencing leading into the park from Viw street date from 1878. The many historically significant buildings on the north side of View street were excised from the original government land over time. Viewing Rosalind Park from this gateway gives a splendid view of the impressive Dutch elm avenues and the original general layout of the park. Beyond the bust of Ernest Mueller further into this section of the park the following trees can be seen: Bunya-Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii), Hoop Pine (Araucaria cunninghamii), and a South African Yellow-Wood (Afrocarpus falcata). All are listed on the National Trust Register of Significant Trees.
| |
| Queen Victoria Gardens | | Note the Alexandra Fountain Opposite the gates and iron fence of the Queen Victoria Gardens. Of significant interest in these gardens are the Queen Victoria statue dating from 1903, the Sir John Quick bust dating from 1934, the Queensland Lilly Pilly (Waterhousea floribunda) and the floral bedding.
| 
|
| Lansell Gardens | | Most miners left the gold fields empty handed and there are a few memorials to them. The man who is remembered here, George Lansell, stayed and made his fortune. The large palm tree that keeps George company in this garden is a very unusual tree. It is a Chilean Wine Palm (Jubaea Chilensis). Slow growing and difficult to propagate it is now very rare in Chile, its place of origin. The palm's sap was once used to make 'wine' hence its common name. The Chilean Wine palm is reported to be sensitive to frost and drought and therefore not really suited to our climate, however every autumn this palm produces masses of yellow plum sized fruit.
| 
|
| Sister Cities Gardens | | The staff has created a link with Bendigo’s sister cities by dedicating garden beds with representative plantings and styles of the areas. Bendigo has three sister city relationships - Los Altos (US), Tian Shui (China) and Penzance (UK). Los Altos located in California, has been represented by a selection of Californian plants. Bendigo's Cornish sister city, Penzance has a clipped serpentine box hedge which will form into a knot garden. The Chinese sister city Tian Shui has a camellia walk as their representative.
| 
|
| Childrens Garden | | The play space includes a traditional play structure featuring small slides, climbing decks, fireman’s pole and bridges. It also includes some unstructured play areas, a sandpit, drinking fountain and paved seating areas to cater for both school aged children and toddlers. A large climbing net has also be installed to cater for older children.The play space is accessible to wheel chairs in most areas.
A small amphitheatre that serves as an outdoor classroom is also a feature of the space. In addition the area has been landscaped and heavily planted with drought tolerant plants to form a forest and a multitude of internal pathways as part of the unstructured play area.
The play space has been constructed on the site of an old basketball court located in the lower part of the Camp Hill school grounds. The new space is different to a traditional playground because it allows the children to have experiences with plants and loose materials rather than having their experience dictated by parents or playground manufacturers.
The play space is a joint project of the City of Greater Bendigo, Camp Hill Primary School and the State Government and is an excellent example of a shared use facility.
The play space will be used exclusively by Camp Hill students during school hours but will be available to the public at other times
| 
|
| |
|