Cranbourne Botanic Gardens: A Friendly Affair!

The Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens boast an amazing Australian bushland experience, with over 10kms of walking trails, and over 100,000 plants from 1,900 varieties (450 of which are Indigenous plants.) Setting it apart from all the other Royal Botanic Gardens is the fact that Cranbourne Gardens is on land that was never cleared of its indigenous vegetation.

Once known as the Cranbourne Reserve, owned by the Australian Army, and utilised for Light Horse training, parts of the area had been quarried for sand and topsoil. However, there were large areas that had remained untouched. This made the location perfect for a Royal Botanic Park focused on native plant species and landscapes. The area, over 475 acres, was acquired in 1969 using funds from the Maud Gibson Trust. Then, work began!

The gardens opened in 1989 and were an immediate success. During development, the main goal had been to create an area of sanctuary for the largest colony of Southern Brown Bandicoots in Victoria, living in our region, and a space welcoming to community. This goal was most definitely accomplished!

The overwhelming success of the gardens meant that the need for a Friends Group of volunteers to care for the space was pressing. Flyers went out to the community in 1991, and on its first founding meeting more than 200 community members were in attendance and became involved.

Now, a new publication, ‘Of Friends & Gardens: A History of the Cranbourne Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria,’ by Carolyn Landon (author and member of the group) explores the history of the Cranbourne Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.

It follows the site from its earliest inception, including the many successes of the group; establishing nurseries, as well as the Maud Gibson room and library (for use by members and staff.) The group now boasts 600 members and several special interest groups, including illustration, craft, photography and growing. Exhibitions and presentations are frequently held in the gardens, and the group publishes a seasonal newsletter for those passionate about Australian plants and wildlife.

The history and images contained within the pages of this book are stunning- almost every page is adorned with a new photograph. The book is available to borrow from our library – just click here.

Search the Cranbourne Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria website for more information!

 
(Cranbourne Run, 1996. Botanic Gardens middle of image.)

References
Carolyn Landon. (2021). Of friends and gardens: A history of the Cranbourne friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Hardie Grant Media.

Cranbourne Friends, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria Inc. (2018). Cranbourne Friends, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Website. https://rbgfriendscranbourne.org.au/

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. (n.d.). Cranbourne Gardens. Website. https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/cranbourne-gardens/

Images
City of Casey. (1996). 1996 Cranbourne Run 000 N9933. Image. https://cclc.libsvic.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/search/asset/267423/0

Carolyn Landon. (2021). Of friends and gardens: A history of the Cranbourne friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Hardie Grant Media.

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B.J Wallis Gardens and the Lily Pond at Pakenham

Near the Cardinia Shire Offices, in Henty Way, at Pakenham are the B.J. Wallis Gardens, created from an old quarry, and the Lily pond, which is off Duncan Drive. The B.J. Wallis Gardens were officially opened on May 30th 1993 by the Shire President, Cr Bill Ronald.

The old quarry before the gardens were complete. The Lily pond is on the right, towards the top of the photograph.

The gardens were named in honour of the Shire Secretary, Barry John Wallis. Mr Wallis was Shire Secretary of the Shire of Berwick from 1966 until 1973 and the Shire of Pakenham from 1973 until 1982. A report in the Pakenham Gazette of June 2nd, 1993 which covered the opening of the Gardens mentioned that Barry Wallis grew up in Pakenham and regularly visited the quarry as a child and that during the construction of the Shire Offices (officially opened July 28th 1983) he recognised the potential of the quarry to become a landscaped garden. The Gardens now include a rotunda and a series of walking tracks.

The B.J Wallis Gardens, shortly after completion.

The gardens were created around a quarry, originally owned by Thomas Henty of Pakenham Park. Thomas was the grandchild of Thomas and Frances Henty, who with their children James, Charles, William, Edward, Stephen, John, Francis and Jane had arrived in various Australian colonies from 1829 to 1832.

Thomas Henty was born in Launceston in 1836 to James and his wife Charlotte (nee Carter). Thomas purchased the property Pakenham Park from Dr James Bathe in 1865. Henty was a member of the Berwick Shire Council from 1866, and Shire President on two occasions from 1869-1872 and 1873-74, and from 1884 to 1887 he was a member of the Legislative Council. He married Lucy Pinnock in 1869 and they had eight sons and two daughters. The first regular Church of England services in Pakenham were held at Pakenham Park and Thomas Henty purchased six acres of land in 1871 for the ‘old’ Church of England, on the corner of Main Street and McGregor Road. He also laid the foundation stone for the building on December 7th 1883. He named the Church St James, in honour of his father. The first service at the Church was held in May 1884.

After Thomas Henty died in 1887 the land was taken over by his son, James Reginald Henty, who retained the homestead block until he died in 1929. James Henty enlisted in the Boer War, was a Berwick Shire Coucillor and Shire President 1913-1914. A boulder, near the Shire Offices, marks the place were his ashes were scattered. After Henty died the land was purchased in 1932 by Frank and Evelyn Duncan, after whom Duncan Road is named.

A view of the Rotunda and Quarry walls, taken shortly after completion.

Henty’s quarry supplied stone used for the construction of the Melbourne to Sale railway line. The Oakleigh to Bunyip section opened October 1877. During the construction of the line a canvas town developed on Henty’s hill, with a population estimated at 400. The men worked on the line and worked in the quarry.

The Lily Pond was also part of Henty land and was originally of eight acres (around 3.2 hectres). It is pictured below in 1929.

These photographs were taken in 1929.
The original inscription on the photograph above is The dam at Pakenham.
The original inscription on the photograph below is Seddon gathering lilies, Pakenham Park dam.

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