Malmsbury Village Food and Wine Fayre 2008
Gardens History
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Malmsbury Village Food and Wine Fayre 2008
Gardens History |
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To help you enjoy the setting for the Malmsbury Village Food and Wine Fayre 2008 here is a :- Brief History of Malmsbury & Botanic Gardens
MALMSBURY BOTANIC GARDENS We are celebrating 151 years since the land was set aside for a Botanic Garden in Malmsbury. MALMSBURY AND THE GOLDRUSH
When gold was discovered in the 1850’s there was a large mobile population of diggers traveling along the road to the goldfields of Bendigo and Forest Creek at Castlemaine and later the gold fields extended as far down as Malmsbury. Malmsbury boasted many successful gold producing mines. Indeed Birthday Villa a magnificent home situated between the Coliban River and the railway station was built on the rich gold money obtained by a miner who struck it rich at the Birthday Gold Mine near Malmsbury. Malmsbury provided water for horses, a camp site, shelter and provisions for the passing diggers. Malmsbury was also a stopping place for the Cobb and Co coaches which carried passengers to Bendigo and other centres and there were three trips daily between Malmsbury and Daylesford. The now Merchants of Malmsbury Café was once the Cobb and Co coach depot. 1861 Malmsbury was proclaimed a municipality.
RAILWAY AND BLUESTONE 1859-1862 the new railway was built between Melbourne and
Sandhurst (Bendigo) which included railway bridges of immense proportions and
the Malmsbury viaduct, at the southern boundary of the Malmsbury Botanic
Gardens, was one of these. It is built with the local bluestone and is comprised
of 5 archways and has a keystone construction. Railway opened up the means of transporting the bluestone and timber which was quarried or milled in Malmsbury. Malmsbury is famous for its bluestone and it was used to build many buildings in Melbourne and a church in Goulburn, NSW, as well as many buildings locally eg the fountain in the lake at gardens, the Mechanics Institute and the primary school in Cameron St. and numerous private dwellings.
The gardens were reserved in 1857 as a “Reserve for a Botanic Garden” and gazetted in 1863. The gardens cover approximately 6 hectares. Planting started in 1864 and plants were sourced from the Melbourne Botanic Gardens through Baron Von Ferdinand and local nurseries such as the Macedon Nursery.
WATER, RESERVOIRS AND RACE 1863 Work started on the Malmsbury reservoir and water race. The water race allows water to travel to Bendigo by gravity and through a series of siphons from the reservoir. It was constructed to provide water to Bendigo (then called Sandhurst) and the goldfields along the way. This can be viewed if you walk through the gardens and onto the west side of the river. 1874 Reservoir and water race completed.
MORE HISTORY 1868 Malmsbury Town Hall constructed in north eastern corner of gardens. 1915 Amalgamation of Borough of Malmsbury with the Shire of Kyneton. 1955 Malmsbury Botanic Gardens legislation amended to include provision for public recreation. 1970’s-1980’s Rejuvenation of Malmsbury Botanic Gardens 1983 Management of the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens became the joint responsibility of the Shire of Kyneton and the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands. Shire of Kyneton was amalgamated into the Macedon Ranges Shire Council in the 1990’s. Currently the gardens are managed by the Shire of Macedon Ranges Parks and Gardens division.
Trees in the gardens Trees planted include the Arbutus x andrachnoides or Hybrid Strawberry tree which is the best example in cultivation in Victoria, Sequoiadeendron giganteum or Giant Redwood, Picea Smitheana or West Himalayan Spruce and Sequoia sempervirens or California Redwood, many of which have been included on the National Trusts Register of Significant Trees.
Friends of the Malmsbury Botanic Gardens Inc has been active since the 1990’s and several projects have been completed. Signage and pathways were built winding through the gardens. A gazebo is being planned for construction near the croquet lawn.
Places of interest are the croquet lawn, the Coliban River, water race, the pine forest, viaduct, fish hatchery, tennis courts, disused club room, lake and islands, fountain and ducks and Malmsbury common.
The Malmsbury Common is an area of land surrounding the Coliban River on the Mill side of the Calder Highway. Up until early this year the common was choked by environmental weeds such as gorse and willows which did not allow any access except for trail bike riders. A number of Malmsbury residents led with a passion by Chris Bromley have dedicated time to rejuvenating this area with the view of it becoming a community recreation area and also as a wild life refuge. It has now become a project of the Malmsbury Landcare Group.
Drought – Malmsbury has suffered from the drought just like any other town. The Coliban River has reached dangerously low levels and there is concern for the survival of the once healthy population of platypus and other aquatic animals. The drought has affected many of the oldest trees in the gardens and sadly some have had to be removed. The Californian Redwood are still struggling for survival. The gardens will be acquiring a water tank which will be used for the survival of the plants.
Public recreational activities are: weddings and photographs, picnicking, barbecues (free use), children’s playground, concerts, swimming, walking, petanque on bowling lawn, family reunions and the Malmsbury Village Fayre is staged in the gardens and town hall.
Pictures courtesy of the Malmsbury Historical Society Inc |
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Send mail to
info@malmsburyvillagefayre.org.au with
questions or comments about this web site.
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Malmsbury
formed part of the “Coliban Run” which was established by Alexander Mollison and
brothers in 1837 who were the first overlanding squatters to settle in the
district. The river flats of the Coliban River at Malmsbury were ideal for
grazing sheep and cattle and pitching tents. 
MALMSBURY
BOTANIC GARDENS
