Robert Clark Conservatory
Officially opened in 1995, the Robert Clark Conservatory was built as part of the two million dollar bequest of Bob Clark in honour of his Grandfather Robert Clark – co-founder of The Courier newspaper.
The third conservatory on the site, this is the first that allows visitors to wander inside amongst the seasonal floral displays.
Conservatory Displays
Seasonal displays feature in the Conservatory all year round from plants grown in the Botanical Gardens Nursery:
- Summer - Hydrangeas, Fuchsias and Pelargoniums
- Autumn - Tuberous Begonia Display (coincides with the Ballarat Begonia Festival)
- May - Chrysanthemum
- Winter - Cyclamen, Cineraria and Primula
- Spring - Schizanthus and spring bulbs
The Conservatory is FREE and open every day 9am to 4.30pm, excluding Christmas Day.
Prime Ministers Avenue
The Prime Ministers Avenue is a feature of national significance, set in the magnificent Horse Chestnut Avenue of the Gardens. The 28 Prime Ministers of Australia are displayed as bronze portraits mounted on polished granite pedestals. The collection includes a portrait of one of the founding fathers of Federation, Alfred Deakin, who was the first Federal Member for Ballarat and the second Prime Minister.
For more information, download the Prime Ministers Avenue Brochure.
Statues
The Stoddard Collection - Wealthy Ballarat citizen, Thomas Stoddart, bought 12 marble statues during a visit to Carrara in Italy and gave them, together with Sicilian marble pedestals, to the citizens of Ballarat. The statues were unveiled by the Governor of Victoria on Queen Victoria’s birthday, 24 May 1884 and are located throughout the gardens.
The Statuary Pavilion - Home to a collection of five marble statues by Charles Summer, they were purchased with bequest funds from James Russell Thompson in 1888. The bequest also included a large statue of the Scottish hero, William Wallace, which greets visitors at the entrance to the Gardens.
For more information, download the Ballarat Botanical Gardens' Brochure.
