There are things to see around every corner at Wollongong Botanic Garden. Photo: Jen White.
If you have any ideas about how to improve Wollongong Botanic Garden, whether it be a new cafe or something more ambitious, now is the time to have your say.
The draft Wollongong Botanic Garden Masterplan, which will guide the future of the 27 ha site for the next 10 years, is about to go on public display.
Wollongong City Council is keen to hear public feedback on the proposed program of projects and services.
Some of the challenges with upgrading the garden include respecting the heritage listing of Glennifer Brae Manor House and the surrounding Sorenson Garden.
Other buildings in the gardens are old, in disrepair, or built for a different purpose.
Wollongong City Councillor David Brown said it wasn’t simple to add to the gardens, which were bounded by roads on all sides.
“Like many of our community assets it has been retrofitted into a space and that often constrains its final form,” he said.
“I do think the gardens could be improved with a sympathetic food and beverage offering, but the buildings we have are not easily adapted.
“It’s a well-loved and valued asset and it would be good to get more people and different people visiting.”
The Botanic Garden site was used mostly for farming from the 1800s until it was bought by the Hoskins family in 1929.
The Hoskins built their home, Gleniffer Brae, on the site in the late 1930s. In the 1950s, the Hoskins dedicated a large part of their land to Wollongong City Council to create a Botanic Garden.
It took almost 20 years for the garden to open to the public in January 1971.
Today it includes an all-abilities playground, bush tucker garden, symbols of international friendship, sculpture and installation art.
A walk-through can take visitors from wet coastal rainforests to deserts and on to the rose gardens.
In addition to a cafe, other proposals for the gardens include a BBQ at the Murphy’s Street entrance, an amphitheatre for events and an aerial rainforest walk.
The duck pond is another important attraction for families and one Councillor Ryan Morris said provided excellent education opportunities.
He said he was keen to see parts of the gardens that have fallen into disrepair be put back to good use.
“Learning how to feed the ducks properly with peas and corn instead of bread is a great piece of education for children and some adults as well,” he said.
“Getting Cratloe Cottage up and running again would be great to see.”
The draft masterplan will soon be available for public comment on council’s website.
