Part of Melbourne’s outstanding parklands, the Old Melbourne Observatory Site and the Melbourne Gardens, located in Birdwood Avenue, South Yarra are managed by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV). The Context team (with Nigel Lewis, conservation architect and John Beetham, heritage tree specialist) reviewed both outdated Conservation Management Plans for both sites and prepared an updated and comprehensive Melbourne Gardens Conservation Management Plan to assist in the understanding of the significance of both places, and their integrated management into the future.
The project was complex requiring consideration of the issues of governance, climate change, State legislation, the high social values, and the outstanding landscape and scientific significance of both components. Context worked closely with the RBGV to develop a comprehensive document that clearly establishes the significance of both sites, considers the constraints and issues and provides a clear and straightforward policy approach to guide change into the future. [Context Pty Ltd]
An additional component was commissioned by RBGV to build a stronger understand its values to the Aboriginal Traditional Owners: its importance as Country, as a place of story and memory, for its contemporary connections, and as a place that offers rich opportunities for the interpretation of living and landscape resources.
With each Traditional Owner organisation, we walked the landscape, bringing historical materials to the table, and exploring stories that these organisations wanted to share. The outcome will expand the range of ways that the RBGV can express respect for Country, build connections with each Traditional Owner organisation, and provide educational opportunities for visitors, especially for the many children who visit as part of school excursions. [Context Pty Ltd]