|
Wetlands and Woodland |
||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Many
local residents
do not realise
that most of the
Botanic Gardens
lies outside of
the fence of the
formal area. There
are are no signs
to indicate this.
Anyone driving
along Baker Street
cannot fail to
notice the lake,
with its island,
wooden
bridges and
water birds. "Wotonga
Basin" was
only excavated
in 1981/82, but
has significantly
increased the
number of birds
in the area. Further
north, water run-off
from a housing
estate is channelled
through a series
of pools,
planted with native
wetland species,
and then into
the lake. Here
you will see a
sculpture
by Tim Jones,
commemorating
a box tree that
was cut down in
2002. This tree
displayed a scar
caused by removal
of the bark by
the Wotjobaluk
aboriginal people,
who originally
occupied the site
of Horsham, probably
to build a shelter.
The bark removal
was scientifically
dated to 1634,
over two hundred
years before European
exploration of
the area. There
are several other
trees in this
part of the reserve
that bear the
scars of such
bark
removal. Interpretive
signs near the
sculpture give
more information;
there is also
a strikingly painted
electricity
junction box.
A concrete skateboard
park is nearby. |
 |
 |
Another feature by the eastern side of the lake is an old cart from the May & Millar Company. At the north-western end of the lake are two small areas of some note. One is a dryland garden, illustrating plants that can be grown in areas of low rainfall, and including a collection of Eremophilas (or Emu Bush) planted in 1999. The other is a native grass reserve. On the eastern side of the road, there is the "Urban Native Forest", planted in 1988. This contains species from around Australia. There are also some black box trees with bark removal scars in this area. |
|
The riverside area contains several points of interest. From 1875/76 there was a wooden weir on the river, opposite Millar Avenue. The area upstream of the weir was used as a swimming pool, with platform and slide in mid-river and a springboard near on the bank. This is marked by an information board. The weir was moved downstream in 1967/68 and a swimming pool was opened in town in 1956. A group of three iron bars mark: the highest recorded flood level (1909); the level that would be reached if the 1909 flow rate was to recur with modern changes to drainage; and the level reached by the 1981 flood. The Rotary Jetty was built in 1971.The Apex Club, where paddleboats were formerly for hire, the Rowing Club and public toilets are also close to the river. For a map of the wetlands and woodlands area click here. |
 |
