Have your say on gardens’ future

THE City of Ballarat has released the draft Ballarat Botanical Gardens master plan for community feedback.

The plan includes a 20-year vision for the gardens including more tree and garden bed planting and better connections between different areas.

It also includes key priorities such as enhancing visitor experience and preserving heritage.

“The Ballarat Botanical Gardens are a cherished part of our city’s identity, offering respite, recreation and learning on the shores of Lake Wendouree,” mayor Cr Tracey Hargreaves said.

“They are a treasured place of green refuge that bring joy to residents and visitors alike.

“We encourage everyone to share their thoughts on the draft master plan to help guide the future of this iconic space.”

The draft master plan was developed following community consultation which helped create several key recommendations.

Some of these were creating a new southern glasshouse to house permanent plant collections, a north garden meadowland, a hands-on learning space near the Tram Museum, and a fenced children’s garden.

The City of Ballarat and consultant Andrea Proctor Landscapes worked with stakeholder groups, including the Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens, the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation, and tenanted adjoining land users such as the Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation Society Hatchery.

Consultation closes Sunday 13 April and can be completed online on the MySay website or in-person at the new Ballarat Botanical Gardens Information Centre, or Ballarat libraries.