Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden

LOOKING ALONG THE LONG POND TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE OF THE GARDENS

As part of Victoria’s centenary celebrations. in 1934 – 1935 a garden was established in the King’s Domain in Melbourne dedicated to honour the memory of our Pioneer Women Settlers.

The garden was largely funded by public subscription through the Women’s Centenary Council. A book was published and for one shilling a donor was able to have their name and the name of their pioneer woman ancestor inscribed on a “Sheet of Remembrance.” These sheets, numbering about 1,200, were then placed in a casket which was later buried under a sundial located within the gardens.

Construction began with a dedication ceremony attended by Sir Stanley Argyle, K.B.E., M.R.C.S., M.L.A., Premier of Victoria on 24 November 1934. 

INSCRIPTION ON THE BASE OF THE SUNDIAL

The gardens were designed by Hugh Linaker (1872-1938), a landscape gardener from country Victoria, and built by the Public Works Department. They consist of a sunken garden containing a bird bath, sundial and long pond containing water lillies. The pond leads to a half-cupola lined with blue tiles and containing a bronze statue of a woman by Charles Web Gilbert (1867-1925) who is best known for his statue of Matthew Flinders located outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne.

The gardens were opened on 8 June 1935 with the unveiling of two bronze plaques, one by Lady Hungerfield, wife of the Governor of Victoria and the other by Mrs. Isidore Henry Moss (Alice Frances Mabel, nee Wilson), C.B.E., J.P., President of the Women’s Centenary Council. The Melbourne “Argus” reported Mrs. Moss’s words at the time “We want you to realise that this is a garden in the making. Imagine what it will be like in 10 years – a haven of rest and peaceful contentment for those women who come and sit within its borders. I feel that we women of to-day have left our mark on the present and the future in having brought it into being.” A Reception was held in the Melbourne Town Hall that evening.

The Pioneer Women’s Memorial Garden is open to the public and is located near one of the approaches to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The Garden is now also occasionally used for outdoor weddings.

THE HALF-CUPOLA LINED WITH BLUE TILES

Contributed by Alexander Romanov-Hughes – PPPG Member No. 52