Thomas Stoddart, 1828 - 1905, bought 12 white marble statues during a visit to Italy. Stoddart arranged for them to be shipped to Victoria and placed on pedestals of Sicilian marble and on bases of Victorian granite. These statues were unveiled in the gardens on Queen Victoria's birthday, 24th May, 1884. His intention was for the statues to adorn and add interest to the gardens. In Greek mythology Leda was the wife of the king of Sparta who was seduced by Zeus in the guise of a swan.The artwork is of aesthetic and historic significance to the people of Ballarat White marble figure of a woman holding a swanLeda Presented by Thomas Stoddart 1884leda, stoddard, botanic gardens

The imposing white marble statue of William Wallace by Percival Ball stands approximately 8 feet tall with helmet and sward. The statue is mounted on a granite base with a marble plaque inscribed in praise of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior famous for leading the defeat of English forces at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. The artwork is located in the Botanic Gardens in Ballarat, Victoria and can be seen upon entry from the main gates. Sculpted by Percival Ball of Melbourne and unveiled in 1889, the statue was funded by a £3000 bequest to the gardens by James Russell Thomson, a Scottish miner who made his fortune during the Victorian gold rush. It was intended as a tribute to Thomson’s Scottish origins. The front the statue bears an inscription from Robert Burns’ 1785 sentimental poem ‘The Cotter’s Saturday Night’, which also lauds Wallace as a noble patriot and hero.The artwork is of historic and aesthetic significance to the people of BallaratWhite marble statue of William Wallace on plinthWALLACE Bequeathed to the public of Ballarat by the late James Russell Thomson unveiled 24th May 1889. "Oh thou! who poured the patriotic tide that streamed through Wallace's undaunted heart, who dared to nobly stem tyrannic pride, Or nobly die, the second glorious part, (The patriot's God, peculiarly thou art. His friend, inspirer, guardian, and reward!) Oh never, never, Scotia's realm desert; But still the patriot, and the patriot bard, in bright succession raise her ornament and guard;" (Burns)sir william wallace, statues, statuary pavillion, botanical gardens, lake wendouree, william wallace statue, charles summer, percival ball

L-R: Sr Shalley, Sr Wilkie, Sr Thompson, Sr M. Williams, Matron Langham, Mr J. Plummer (Secretary/Manager) plus 3 unknown people joining in the fun.Photo + Newspaper article1949, snow, botanic gardens, langham. plummer, shalley

Daylesford is a Central Victorian town. Colour photograph from the Wombat Botanical Gardens showing snow covering the township of Dayelsford. daylesford, snow, weather, climate, winter, daylesford botanic gardens, botanic gardens, wombat hill, wombat hill botanic gardens, cityscape, viewscape

Colour photograph of snow at the botanical Gardens in Ballarat.glasshouse, ballarat botanical gardens, snow

Digital imagesvictoria, 150, anniversary, botanic, gardens, wombat hill, botanic gardens, heritage, celebration, garden party, daylesford, brass band, daylesford brass band

Digital images of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens taken on their 150th anniversary.victoria, 150, anniversary, botanic, gardens, wombat hill, botanic gardens, heritage, celebration, garden party, daylesford, people, crowd, community, womabt hill botanic gardens

Digital imagesvictoria, 150, anniversary, botanic, gardens, wombat hill, botanic gardens, heritage, celebration, garden party, daylesford, people, crowd, community, governor, governor of victoria, alex chernov, vice regal

Panaramic photograph of Daylesford from Wombat Hill.hepburn, wombat hill botanical gardens, wombat hill, daylesford, botanic gardens, viewscape, landscape, cityscape, townscape

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Colour photograph of a topiary display at the Ballarat Begonia Festival.ballarat gardens, ballarat botanical gardens, begonia festival, topiary

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Colour photograph of an entrance arch at the White Hills Botanical Gardens.botanic garden, white hills, white hills botanic gardens, war memorial, arch, commemoration, bendigo

Photograph of the James Russell Thomson memorial in the Ballarat Town Hall.In grateful record of the values bequest by James Russell Thomson of Statuary in the Botani Gardens A.D. 1888 Testator was a native of Airdrie, Scotland, resident 35 years at Ballaarat. Obit May 26, 1886, Aetat 68.statues, ballarat town hall, james russell thomson, botanic garden, memorial

Daylesford in a tourist town with natural mineral water springsA booklet of colour images depicting 12 scenes of Daylesford, Victoria. The front cover is decorated with an illustration of a dirt road with sign post. Images include: Panorama over Daylesford, from lookout tower Panorama over Lake Daylesford Pioneer Memorial Lookout Tower, Daylesford Near the swimming pool, Lake Daylesford Botanical Gardens, Daylesford Vincent Street, showing Town Hall, Daylesford Vincent Street, Daylesford Glimpse of lovely Jubilee Lake, Daylesford Central Springs, Daylesford Sutton Springs, Daylesford Corner of the beautiful Botanical Gardens, Daylesford Loddon Falls, near Daylesford.daylesford, jubillee lake, wombat hill, vincent street, sutton springs, central springs, loddon springs, pioneer lookout, pioneer memorial lookout, loddon falls, lake daylesford

Daylesford in a tourist town with natural mineral water springs Botanical Gardens, Daylesford Vincent Street, showing Town Hall, Daylesford Vincent Street, Daylesford Glimpse of lovely Jubilee Lake, Daylesford Central Springs, Daylesford Sutton Springs, Daylesford Corner of the beautiful Botanical Gardens, Daylesford Loddon Falls, near Daylesford.daylesford, jubillee lake

Three colour photographs of a fernery under constructions.ballarat botanical gardens, fernery

An avenue of trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Water stressed Rhododendrons in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Trees in the Wombat Gardens. wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees

Daylesford's begonia collection was stared by French born curator W. Gascoigne in 1885. He was an experienced horticulturalist. The plants were grown again in the 1930s in a new glasshouse. Curator Bill Greville obtained 45 plants from the Ballarat City Council, 30 from Queens Park in Essendon, and soon haad 250 tubers including a (lost) one named 'Daylesford'. When Alf Headland was appointed part-time caretaker in 1956, he found tw tubers in the wood shed and became expert in their cultivation. He continuted well into his retirement when Greg Rae too over. In 1988 the conservotory was named to honur Alf Headland's work.Hot house in the Wombat Gardens with a Begonia display.wombat botanical gardens, daylesford botanical gardens, daylesford, trees, begonia, begonia house, begonia conservatory