Parliament Gardens
There are really two parts to the gardens at
Parliament House in Melbourne:
Parliament Gardens
Parliament Gardens with Coles Fountain in background
This small triangular park is a pleasant respite at the
Spring Street end of Town, with views of
Parliament House,
St. Patrick's Cathedral, St Peter's Eastern Hill, the Old Synagogue, the Old
Baptist Church and the Eastern Hill Fire Station.
The
Coles Fountain in these gardens is unusual because you can walk
inside the curtains of cascading water - a pleasant experience on a hot
Melbourne day.
Parliament House Gardens
Parliament House Gardens
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The gardens in Parliament House have restricted
access. (The nature of this access in contentious - ask your guide about it
when you book on a White Hat Tour.) You may get to see them on the
occasional open day (subscribe to our newsletter if you wish to be notified
of these). Alternatively, get yourself invited to a garden party - all you
have to do is many years of community service or become a top achiever in
your field.
The garden, designed by William Guilfoyle, is in the
European style which befits its surrounding buildings. The garden was
originally larger, but in 1934 the area now known as the Parliament
Gardens (see above) was donated to the Melbourne City Council as
a public reserve. The garden also contains a tennis court and bowling green
for the use of members.
Within the garden you can find The Federal Oak -
planted in 1890 by Sir Henry
Parkes - as well as a plaque commemorating the work of
Vida Goldstein. There is
also an 'oriental-style' pavilion that may be familiar to some from
photographs of the 1890 Australian Federation Conference. The
pavilion also serves a darker purpose - ask your guide on a White Hat Tour
about the hidden function of the pavilion.
Some forthcoming events at Parliament Gardens:
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Parliament House Open Day
Apart from its regular free daily tours, Melbourne's Parliament House has
an annual open day. On this day not only are the interior spaces of
Parliament House open to the public, the grounds and gardens are also
accessible. More details at
Parliament
House Open Day >>
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