Landscaping tender released for Ballarat Botanical Gardens Fernery

An artist's render of the fernery landscaping. Credit: Tamsin O’Reilly for Andrea Proctor Landscapes.

The Ballarat Botanical Gardens Fernery will soon become a gallery for plants, with the tender advertised for landscaping works. 

The City of Ballarat is seeking a contractor to deliver the landscaping, which will create a new entrance to the Ballarat Botanical Gardens from Wendouree Parade, with the introduction of a fernery forecourt designed around the Claxton Monument. 

Landscaping will take place at the rear of the structure and connect the fernery and the rest of the gardens, with footpaths providing access to the North and South Gardens and the Robert Clark Conservatory.  

The works are being funded by the City of Ballarat ($250,000), the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens ($200,000) and Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation ($50,000). 

The entrance will be further enhanced with additional seating in the form of bluestone rock walls with timber sections, matching the existing bluestone walls on site and the fernery cladding. Two new entrances at the rear of the structure will also be created. 

The landscaping designs, completed by Andrea Proctor Landscapes, feature a large Elk Horn fern, which now sits in the Gardens Nursery, as a major feature that will complement other Australian ferns, orchids and rain forest plants displayed throughout the structure. 

Inspired by 19th Century garden design features, paving patterned in the shape of fern fronds will lead from the Wendouree Parade entrance to the fernery while the landscaping will also feature large sculptural grotto bluestone stacks and timber and bluestone seats. 

Two small Juneberries at the front of the fernery will be removed to create the new landscape. All other trees will be retained and protected. 

City of Ballarat Mayor, Councillor Daniel Moloney said the designs and landscaping will create an incredible new garden experience within the Ballarat Botanical Gardens. 

“We look forward to delivering these transformational landscaping works in the fernery precinct,” he said. 

“As one of only two examples in this state of a grand Victorian plant house, the landscaping for the fernery will create another outstanding experience for those who enjoy and visit our spectacular Ballarat Botanical Gardens.” 

Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens President Terry O’Brien said the Friends have long advocated for the redevelopment of the fernery and are pleased to contribute $200,000 towards the project. 

"The landscaping of the entrance from Wendouree Parade and the internals in the new building will see us move closer to achieving the vision of a contemporary Botanic Gardens with a wondrous landscape and new experiences,” he said. 

“This year the Friends are currently celebrating their 40th anniversary and this financial contribution is just one of the many ways that the Friends support and advocate for these Botanic gardens.” 

Ballarat Botanical Gardens Foundation Chairman Mark Schultz said the Foundation was delighted to support the project with a $50,000 contribution.  

“We are excited that it’s reached this stage and we look forward to starting the landscaping works.” 

Applications for tender will close on 9 November 2022. Interested parties can download the documentation at eprocure.com.au/ballarat. Ballarat City Council will award the contract and commence works as soon as possible once the contractor has been appointed. 

The City of Ballarat is also applying for a Heritage Victoria permit application for the works. 

Ballarat City Council approved the landscaping works at its 25 May 2022 meeting. 

The existing fernery infrastructure will be retained. The consideration for future projects associated with the fernery and the broader Botanical Gardens precinct will be considered as part of the review and update of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens Master Plan.   

The Ballarat Fernery is one of the oldest of its kind in Australia. It has been open since the 1880s, making it a rich part of Ballarat’s history. 

Works on the fernery project began in July 2019 with the demolition of the former fernery building. Construction on the new $1.7 million stage one structure commenced in June 2020 and was completed in 2021. 

The new fernery is a steel framed replica of the original timber building. It is clad in timber to match the original building.