Pics from the Past | Shepparton’s Queen’s Gardens, part two

By Geoff Allemand

Sep 12, 2023

Quite a handful: Peter and Geoff Curtis with big bunya nuts. Photo by Contributed

Here is part two of the history of the Queen’s Gardens following on from it being initially called the Public Garden Reserve in the 1880s to being renamed Queen’s Park in 1887 and then being commonly called Queen’s Gardens.

Lush: Shepparton Bowling Greens, April 1921. Photo by Contributed

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In 1890, there was a public notice in the Shepparton Advertiser: “A meeting of gentlemen favourable to the formation of a Bowling Club with be held at the Victoria Hotel, Shepparton …” By 1894, the Shepparton Bowling Club was formed, and a request was made to the Shire Council to use a section of the Queen’s Gardens (Welsford St end). This attracted much criticism from the community, with many ratepayers objecting to the gardens being interfered with and destroyed by a select few. They claimed it was an act of vandalism to cut off one eighth of the gardens for a bowling green. Council approved the bowling green, with the club paying for all set-up and ongoing costs. The ratepayers kept fighting against the decision until its official opening in November 1894. Over the years, the bowling club successfully grew its members and improved its facilities. In 1931, at the official beginning of the season, the mayor, in his speech, spoke about the prosperous past and some recommendations for the future. The Shepparton Advertiser stated: “He mentioned that the Club had been in existence for between 30 and 40 years and said consideration had wisely been given to the question of extending the green. There was no additional room available at the Queen’s Gardens, and he suggested that the Club should further consider the matter of obtaining another site where a full-sized green with a greater number of rinks could be provided.”

For the next few years, the bowling club worked with the council to look at the possibilities of relocating to the transformed showgrounds site for football/cricket or linking in with the Parks and Gardens scheme of a lakeside sporting precinct on the north end of Victoria Park Lake that would cater for tennis, croquet and bowling clubs. The bowling club chose the lakeside option, and in October 1935, the new bowling greens were officially opened. The Shepparton Bowling Club president welcomed all present and said: “We have, at last, greens that are worthy of the town of Shepparton.”

Picture perfect: Queen’s Gardens postcard. Photo by Contributed

In the Shepparton Advertiser, 12 months earlier, the following was reported: “It is interesting to note that immediately after the Shepparton Bowling Club vacates the old green in Queen’s Gardens, steps will be taken to erect the monkey house and obtain delivery of the monkeys, which are at present in quarantine at the Zoological Gardens at Royal Park.” Council at the time was starting to explore tourism options and looking for ways to attract people to the town. The main costs were to be borne by the subscriptions of public-minded citizens. On Friday, December 27, 1935, the public was invited to visit the gardens to view the monkeys. It was so popular that two constables were needed to control the crowd.

Shepparton’s latest attraction: The monkey cage. Photo by Contributed

Due to the monkeys’ immense popularity, councillors were considering other animals and birds to add further interest. Over the years, the gardeners did a great job of maintaining the monkey cage and the care of the rhesus monkeys. However, during World War II, it was becoming challenging to look after the gardens and monkey cages, as many gardening staff had left for military service. Council eventually made the difficult decision to transfer them back to the Melbourne Zoological Gardens. Until council was again in the position to have them back, the cage would be stocked with macaws and other birds. The monkeys did not return, and the bird aviary remained until the early 1950s. I am keen to know if anyone knows when council removed the aviary.