Alexandra Gardens Island work complete

Work to restore the gardens on the Alexandra Gardens Island is complete, with Ararat Rural City Council parks and gardens staff completing the finishing touches earlier this week.

Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison said the work had taken around 12 weeks with parks and gardens staff really enjoying working on the unique project.

Dr Harrison said the garden had to be redesigned and replanted after several large trees were removed late last year due to unstable ground.

“The garden has come up really well and looks fantastic with large feature rocks, two Moon Gates and interactive play spaces for kids,” he said.

“We hope the community enjoys the new garden and spaces, which have been designed to use for a wide range of activities from picnics to play dates and weddings.”

Dr Harrison said the young plants, which include pomegranate, cherry, ginkgo, grass trees and the red tea tree, will grow over the next 12 to 18 months, filling out the space and creating a lovely atmosphere.

The design incorporated a fusion of Chinese and Australian cultures that celebrates the town’s Chinese heritage connection.

The design included two round Moon Gates – a traditional Chinese architectural garden element – that have been placed at two locations to frame the island scenery looking out towards the Alexandra Gardens. Large rocks are also a focal point and used for seating around the island.

“Stepping stones have been placed throughout the plantings, which will include bamboo to create secret paths,” Dr Harrison said.

“As the plants grow and establish, this will enhance the interactive spaces for children to explore and play in. The island’s soil structure is such that it doesn’t suit large trees so the garden design includes low-level plantings with some medium-sized feature trees.”