Community
23 June, 2023
Enjoy the fresh air
WITH the cold weather now well and truly upon us, thoughts turn to staying indoors by the fire with a warm cuppa.
While staying indoors may sound appealing to many, heading outdoors for some fresh air and exercise is a great way to reinvigorate and refresh your senses.
Grab some friends or loved ones and head to the Koroit Botanic Gardens where you will be able to meander the pathways amidst trees and shrubberies, and wonder at the 1857 vision of district surveyor Thomas Watson who allotted 20 acres for public gardens.
With its Guilfoyle-inspired plan, the gardens now offer plenty for young and old.
A well-established playground will keep youngsters amused for hours and there are public toilets for the convenience of visitors.
More than 100 rare and unusual trees from around the world will keep visitors guessing as to their name and origin and while in the gardens keep a look out for the friendly community volunteers who, in partnership with the Moyne Shire Council, are currently involved in a restoration project.
For those interested in local history, the Koroit Botanic Gardens are at the centre of the original plan for the township of Koroit, developed in 1857.
Not much development occurred until 1870, when State Botanist Baron von Mueller donated 190 trees and plants.
Local MP William Anderson then commissioned Australia’s greatest landscape designer, William Guilfoyle, to prepare a master plan which was completed in 1880.
After falling into decline in the early 1990s, a conservation plan was prepared in 1999.
The gardens were listed on the State Heritage Register in 2006 and have since become a popular tourist attraction for not only visitors to the town, but locals in search of some relaxation and exercise.
