Victoria Branch: Albert Park walk & talk

Gracious Gardens and Re-Imagined Green Spaces in Albert Park St Vincent Gardens and Gasworks Art Park

Following our interesting visit to Garden City in 2024, you are invited to join us to start 2025 with a 3-4 kms walk and talk around Albert Park, led by Robyn Ryan, AGHS member and historian, followed by a BYO picnic.

We will start in the 1850s Hodgkinson designed St Vincent Gardens, a large, landscaped square with significant specimen plantings modelled on similar Georgian London spaces. Developed for Melbourne’s aspiring middle classes following the gold rush boom, it is surrounded by elegant terrace houses.

We will then walk to the nearby Gas Works Art Park to explore a cleverly imagined green community space and arts precinct that began life as a gasworks foundry in 1871. Here we will discover plants indigenous to Melbourne’s coastline and used by our first nations people. We will also explore how a gritty industrial area has been turned into a vibrant arts hub and park before returning to St Vincent Gardens.

Meeting point: corner of Ferras St and St Vincent Place North, Albert Park.

Getting there: free parking around perimeter of the two sections of St Vincent Gardens or Tram No 1 or light rail 96 nearby.

Bring: walking shoes and a BYO picnic

Cost: free to members and friends. Please book at Trybooking.

Enquiries: Sue Foran 0400 159 079 or Wendy Dwyer 0408 340 967.