A deputation to council later that month outlined a plan by R.H. Anderson as part of a scheme to decentralise the National Botanic Gardens at Sydney. It was based on the plan developed by the Armidale I.B.C. The proposal to develop an arboretum and botanic gardens received the support of council in November when the Minister for Agriculture also promised support.
Professor L.D. Pryor, Professor of Botany at the National University and curator of the Garden City of Canberra outlined the financial implications and staff requirements to the Armidale Community Development Association in April 1960.
Despite the call by the professor to legally establish the gardens, no action was taken and the matter of housing was again debated by council in October 1961. Consequently the Armidale I.B.C. offered to immediately develop the reserve.
The Armidale Express, 16 March 1962 announced ‘another attempt to secure part of the site of the proposed arboretum for housing’. The decision taken by council in May 1962 to ask the Department of Lands to release part of the public land on the southern side.
A. Jones, ‘Fifty Years of Beautification and Tree Planting in Armidale’, Armidale and District Historical Society Journal, No. 37, pp.129-134. the highway for building purposes again brought a protest from the Armidale I.B.C.
The editor of the Armidale Express supported the stand and commented:
"We hope that before the Department or the Minister (acting on his own initiative), grants the request, he will give interested parties the opportunity of stating a case against the alienation of any more Crown Land within the City boundary."
In November 1962, council agreed to the appointment of a group of trustees by the Minister for Lands provided a representative of council was made one of the trustees.
The Lands Department informed council in October 1963 thirty-two acres of land on the New England Highway in South Armidale have been zoned in principle for a botanic garden and arboretum’. Despite this move, council again voted in October to zone the land B-class residential in its interim town plan and approved the construction of homes on two thirds of the proposed arboretum and botanic gardens site. Because of concern expressed by some aldermen involving the possible cost of a garden, the Armidale I.B.C. stated in November 1963 ‘an arboretum and botanical gardens on the Soudan Hill slopes could be “confidently developed independently of City Council finance”‘.
Members of the N.S.W. Nurseymen’s Association visited Armidale in November 1965 but a trust still had to be appointed. The area of land, Reserve No. 85802 to the north of the highway bounded by Butler and Kentucky Streets, was gazetted for Public Recreation and Botanic Gardens on 20 May 1966. The roads within the arboretum site were closed and the Armidale I.B.C. promised in July to support the seven member trust when formed.
The Minister for Lands, Mr Lewis asked the committee in November to recommend citizens for the trust. Trustees appointed in May 1967 for the Armidale Botanic Gardens Trust included: W.R. Scott (chairman), Dr. B.N. Richards (secretary) and Messrs R.D.H.Fayle, D.A. 20 Armidale Express, 18 May 1962, p.1. 21 Armidale Express, 6 November 1963, p.2. 22 Armidale Express, 21 October 1964, p.4. Hewitt, E.J. Hilder, R.W. Berman and H.J. Wissman.
By August, the trustees for the 32 acre reserve at South Armidale agreed that the plan should provide for: a lookout and picnic sites; representative plant communities (both native and exotic); native species in approximately the original condition of the reserve; footpaths and walking tracks; no roads; enlargement of the existing dam for aquatic plants and animals, and rockeries and lawns where suitable’. By October 1968 delay had occurred in development of the arboretum because ‘the soil distribution of the 30-acre block … has turned out to be exceedingly complex’.
This soil analysis was needed for planning of the park. Once a Board of Trustees was established, the trustees commissioned Ron Margules and Associates (Landscape and Forestry Consultants) in 1969 to draw up a development plan which was paid for by a group of interested citizens. Professor John McGarity also prepared a soil study. Some initial plantings were undertaken and water pipes laid into the area for watering.
Professor John McGarity also prepared a soil study.
Some initial plantings were undertaken and water pipes laid into the area for watering.
The trustees denied in April 1970 there were any plans to develop the area for organised sport. In May the trustees announced their intention to meet with the Minster for Lands, Mr Lewis in June and discuss development plans. In July the trust chairman announced that work was to begin shortly on stage one of the botanic gardens site.
The trust had been granted $5000 by the State Government for each of the next three years for development work.
This stage involved: provision of parking space near the northwest corner, ground preparation and sowing of grass for an informal play area, similar preparation and sowing for an irrigated lawn section, and fencing and erecting windbreaks on the western and southern boundaries’.
In 1973 and 1974 the trust employed people under the RED scheme with jobs including site preparation and blackberry control. Lack of funds curtailed the trustee’s activities and arrangements to hand over trusteeship to the City Council commenced in 1977.
On 18 May 1979, council took over the area as trustees.
Since then no further plantings were made but at a council meeting of 17 March 1980, council resolved to adopt the landscape plan prepared on behalf of the trust as a basis for future development.
The first priority was to be the planting of the north eastern sector fronting the New England Highway and in 1981 a water main with irrigation outlets was laid throughout the eastern area.
Armidale Express, 2 August 1967, p.4. 24 Armidale Express, 4 October 1968, p.14. 25 Armidale Express, 10 July 1970, p.5.
A public meeting held on 27 May 1982 at the council chambers considered the development of the arboretum and the council meeting of 21 June resolved to form an advisory committee.
Members included a council representative, vice-chairman of council’s tree planting committee and representatives of the society for growing native plants, the former botanic garden trust, the Forestry Commission and the park’s superintendent.
The plan of development for the aboretum was formally adopted by council in August.
An arboretum awareness day was held on 1 August 1, Arbor Day and a large number of individuals and community organisations attended.
A further day was held on 7 August 1983.
Council unsuccessfully applied for a grant under the National Tree programme in 1983.
By January 1984 the Lions Club had erected a flag pole and fund raising schemes, awareness days and working bees were held.
Initially the arboretum committee submitted a modest proposal for preliminary work in the aquatic gardens as a Bicentennial project.
This plan was amplified to become the $266 000 Armidale Bicentennial Arboretum Plan which was launched by the N.S.W. Premier Mr Neville Wran, on 10 August 1985.
The arboretum was officially opened on 8 October 1988 by the vice-chairman of the N.S.W. Bicentennial Council, Thelma McCarthy AM.
By that stage the thirteen hectare site included aquatic gardens, waterfall, senses garden for the disabled, community wall constructed by members of the community, native gardens, exotic gardens, New England flora bed, walking tracks, lookout, picnic shelter and toilet facilities. The project involved service clubs, schools, business houses, individuals and the City Council.
The total cost of the project was financed by the N.S.W. Bicentennial Council ($200 000); council ($17 000) and community effort ($54 000).
The senses garden was totally funded and constructed by community groups including Armidale High School, Dumaresq Lions, Armidale Garden, Sandon County, Apex, Quota, and Rotary Clubs. The community wall was funded by the N.S.W. Arts Council and the public who donated bricks carved by community members. Council constructed the toilet block with special funding.
The aquatic garden, designed by John Wrigley, was funded by a major part of the bicentennial grant. The native gardens, designed by Mrs Maria Hitchcock were constructed in stages by students from The Armidale School and Technical and Further Education using an unemployment grant.
The lookout was funded and contructed by the Rotary Club as their major bicentennial project. The exotic gardens were designed by Mrs Marilyn Pidgeon with the bulbs being donated by the Leitch family.
The story then very unfortunately ends.
