Design endorsed for Hamilton Botanic Garden Children’s and Community Precinct

Southern Grampians Shire Council has endorsed the design for the Hamilton Botanic Garden Children’s and Community Precinct which caters for families of all ages and will importantly create a space where visitors can gather, explore and enjoy different play and interactive experiences including a grassland maze, lawn area, water play, water cascade and falls.

Council received funding from the Victorian Government in 2019 under the ‘Growing Victoria’s Botanical Gardens grant program’ (GVBG) to develop a design, heritage planning and scoping for the Children’s Garden and Community Precinct. This Precinct is a key component of the Hamilton Botanic Gardens Master Plan 2015 that seeks to link the former animal enclosure with the new flight aviary, Curators Cottage and with the remaining gardens.

Outerspace Landscape Architects were appointed as the principal contractor to coordinate the community and stakeholder engagement, and develop a design, based on the consultation and meeting the recommendations of the Hamilton Botanic Garden’s Master Plan (Laidlaw & Laidlaw 2015). The Landscape Design Report they issued in October 2021 proposed landscape typologies with distinctive planting characters and materials to provide children with a different play and interaction experience.

Southern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Bruach Colliton said the design endorsement from Council paves the way for an exciting intergenerational project and notes “the development of this space has been a high priority of Council. It will rejuvenate and ultimately maximise the potential of a long unused area and to build upon a cherished landmark of this region.

“Throughout the process, we have consulted with Traditional Owners and heritage experts, landscape experts and artists. This input has helped finalise a design to capture the interests of children, provide natural play elements and tell the story of the zoological displays while respecting the heritage design of the existing gardens. The design creates pockets of natural elements for children to play, imagine and explore the history of zoological displays in the garden through artwork and sculptures.

“Community engagement has been extensive on this project with over 200 responses received from community members. We are now thrilled to be able to make this a reality for the people of our Shire and their families. This design has really been a labour of love for Council staff, Friends of the Gardens and countless others, and is a testament to how widely appreciated our gardens are locally and further afield.”

The next stage of the project involves lodgement of a heritage permit application with Heritage Victoria and a planning permit, and advocating for funding opportunities to assist in the construction and delivery of the space.

Image: Outerspace Landscape Architects proposed design included key landscape types with distinctive planting characters and materials to provide children with a different play and interaction experience.