Botanic Gardens hub set to grow

CONSTRUCTION has officially begun on the Bendigo Botanic Gardens central hub precinct following the turning of the first sod last Friday.

The $7 million development forms the next stage of the Garden for the Future redevelopment that aims to connect the new space with the heritage section of the gardens.

Works on the one hectare of vacant land at the bottom of Hamelin Street are set to include the construction of a visitor centre with a cafe, function room and toilets, a new formalised entrance, gathering and educational spaces and new gardens with an Indigenous focus.

City of Greater Bendigo mayor Cr Jennifer Alden said the Central Hub Precinct would be a “huge community asset.”

“This exciting project will enhance Greater Bendigo and the wider region’s arts and recreation strengths by providing opportunities for social participation, lifelong learning, cultural enrichment and enhanced physical and mental health and will be a place for residents and visitors to attend events, recreate, learn, play, eat, drink and enjoy,” she said.

“The project will stimulate the local economy by providing over 50 construction jobs and nine permanent jobs through the operation of the cafe and ongoing maintenance of the gardens.”

The City has allocated $1 million to the project, on top of $3.75 million from the Victorian Government’s Building Works package, $1.75 million from the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, $550,000 from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and a $10,000 contribution from the Friends of the Bendigo Botanic Gardens.

Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan, said the facilities included in the works would allow people to extend their stay and “in turn that has a great return for the Bendigo community.”

“The funds… are an investment in supporting people to continue to use these gardens, visit Bendigo, it’s a great tourist attraction already but by having a Visitor Centre here with all the sorts of facilities you need… it just makes it easier to visit these beautiful places and spaces,” she said.

Djandak project officer and Dja Dja Wurrung and Bangarang man, Amos Atkinson, said the central hub precinct would be used to educate the wider community on First Nations culture and uplift young Indigenous people.

“When we had our initial meetings around what we wanted to see here, we wanted to see cultural interpretations of stuff that would normally happen out on Country so we could educate the kids.”

The project is expected to be completed mid next year.