IT was a dream born in 1958 when CSIRO scientists Allan Antcliff, Max Sauer and nurseryman Peter Smith discussed the possibility of establishing a botanic gardens in Sunraysia.
During the 1980s, there were 13 different sites explored for setting up what’s now called the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens (AIBG) around the cross-border region.
A committee’s preference was for it to be on a big parcel of land at Mourquong, a Western Lands Grazing lease held by Orm and Rod McLeod.
The lease was then gifted to the people of Sunraysia under the Sunraysia Oasis Botanical Gardens’ management, paving for the way for the AIBG’s opening on April 21, 1991.
The gardens’ patrons, former Governor-General Sir Ninian Stephen and Lady Stephen, were among the first to plant trees at the River Road site.
Lady Stephen planted a eucalyptus citriodora (lemon-scented gum) on the west side of the entrance gate.
Her husband, Sir Ninian, planted a matching tree on the eastern side to start the long avenue of 178 trees that line the driveway.
Fast forward 30 years and the AIBG has – excuse the pun – grown into a unique feature of the Sunraysia landscape, a great preservation of the region’s rich flora history.
The man who has overseen the gardens’ operations for the past 28 years reflected this week on the journey from when a former sheep farm was transformed into the first semi-arid botanic gardens in the southern hemisphere.
“When it first started out, I couldn’t really see what the vision was. We were putting in tiny little plants everywhere,” AIBG co-ordinator Brian Cuddy said.
“But now, you can stand pretty much anywhere in the gardens and see what the aim was.
“The different colours and how the gardens are shaped have really come together so well. There are so many features to it and I can certainly see now what they were trying to achieve.”
Located about 5km from Buronga, the botanic gardens feature 10,000 different plant types across 340 acres.
One of the highlights in the main gardens, which are spread across 124 acres, is the mesmerising rose garden.
At full bloom, it has more than 1500 of the most splendid roses you’d ever hope to see.
Others include the 2500-year-old Eucalyptus oleosa, known as the Mallee “Wow” tree, and the bunya pine tree, which produces giant pine cones.
The multiple colours of hippeastrums are great, too, and the nature trail has some beautiful, rare grevilleas, including a yellow one from Pooncarie.
The gardens, which has five paid staff and about 60 active volunteers, receives funding from Mildura and Wentworth councils. However, it relies heavily on fundraising and generous benefactors, such as Lloyd Thomson.
“It’s been amazing for the gardens to have locals like Lloyd, who are so generous. He has a passion for community projects like ours – and it has helped keep us afloat,” Mr Cuddy said.
“Our volunteers are wonderful, too, and local businesses have also put so much into the gardens over many years.
“This was always going to be a long-term project and now we’ve hit the 30-year milestone, people are getting bang for their buck with how well the gardens have come along.”
Mr Thomson said it was a “pleasure” to give a financial helping hand to the gardens’ operations.
“It is a unique feature of our region,” the successful local businessman said.
“There are lots of botanic gardens but there are no inland ones like this.
“It’s inspirational in how it was established. For me, it’s a worthwhile project that will bring a lot of enjoyment to the many generations to come.”
The gardens remain a work in progress with an irrigation upgrade and a new Melaleuca planting site in the works.
And while Australia has just opened up a travel bubble with the Kiwis, the New Zealand plants section at the AIBG has come under the strain due to our intense summer heat.
It’s set to be replaced with Australian proteaceae plants, including banksias and grevilleas.
For more information about the gardens visit www.aibg.live.
