The City of Greater Bendigo has commenced installing three new public entrances into the Rosalind Park Fernery this week.
The Fernery is an original feature of historic Rosalind Park listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and the project has received permission from Heritage Victoria to take place.
City of Greater Bendigo Parks and Open Space Manager Chris Mitchell said the fernery is currently a hidden garden with only one single entrance/exit.
“Through this project we are opening up the fernery by creating two new entrances on the creek side of the fernery and a further new entrance on the north boundary,” Mr Mitchell said.
“When complete the fernery will have a total of four entrance/ exit points and will connect much better to the park’s main pathway and the footbridge across the Bendigo Creek.
“Many people travel through Rosalind Park along the main path which follows the creek line and the aim of the new entrances is to increase pedestrian access into the fernery while maintaining the heritage character of the park.
“As part of the project new steel gates featuring plants of the fernery have been designed and created by local artist Yvonne George and will be installed at the three new entrances.
“The project will also include the removal and relocation of some vegetation, installation of new stone garden bed retaining walls and new gravel pathways.
“The works have been timed to minimise any disturbance to the Rosalind Park grey-headed flying fox colony.
“It is currently not their breeding season and is the time of the year when the population is traditionally lower.”
The work is an action of the 2014 Rosalind Park Precinct Masterplan and is expected to be complete by mid-year.
