Gargarro Botanic Garden

The TCL team first visited Girgarre in 2012, to inspect the twelve-hectare site and get a feel for the community's aspirations. From that initial meeting, a bold and visionary Master Plan evolved, which captured the district's indigenous heritage, as well as the more recent agricultural journey.

The Gargarro design contrasts the highly organic, sinuous natural landscapes with the heavily modified and rigid agricultural landscapes of the area. This enables a narrative within the garden to be told, reflecting on the history of the region, the indigenous stories and connections to water, as well as the post-colonial influences on the land.

TCL undertook further sketch design development in 2014, from which the concept of including five sensory gardens emerged, each appealing to one of the senses: SEE, SMELL, TOUCH, TASTE and LISTEN. By 2019, the community had secured sufficient funding to undertake the design development (detailed design) of the parkland area and the first of the sensory gardens, the SEE garden. Once again, TCL worked collaboratively with the Girgarre community to achieve an outcome that has been embraced by all.

It was then decided to include a Cafe in the overall development. Brandrick Architects had in 2017 designed the Gargarro Soundshell. The design of this spectacular building had been influenced by the shape of a eucalypt leaf—a perfect fit for a botanic garden.

Again, the brief provided to Brandrick Architects was open and flexible: design a building that is at home in its environment. The contemporary two-story Cafe building has certainly achieved that, providing spectacular views, not only of the botanic garden but also of neighboring farmland.

The dream became a reality when Stage 1 of the Gargarro Regional Botanic Garden and the Cafe were officially opened in May 2023.

A botanic garden should be embraced by its community and others who visit, and the design of the Gargarro Regional Botanic Garden has certainly achieved this and more. This contemporary garden offers a vibrant, sustainable landscape celebrating Australia’s natural beauty and heritage—a vibrant space for connection, creativity, and nature.

A feature of the design is the network of pathways, allowing safe and easy access for visitors of all abilities and ages. One of the most pleasing aspects for the local community is the number of people with disabilities who come to enjoy the garden. Another much-loved feature of the garden is the lookout tower, which provides a panoramic view of the garden for young and old alike.

The first stage of the garden was opened to the public in May 2023; the Cafe had commenced trading a few weeks earlier. It is estimated that 30,000 visitors attended the precinct in the first year of operation. These visitors represent a diverse demographic.

A visit to Gargarro may include a performance at the soundshell, a picnic on the lawn, reflective time sitting on one of the many seats, or perhaps being enchanted by the meandering stream. Plant enthusiasts may spend many hours exploring the 28,000 plants in the garden, many of them rare and unusual. Or perhaps they will be enchanted by the blaze of color in the SEE Garden, the Yellow Sunrise, Blue, Hot Pink or Cloud Garden beds.

Then, of course, there is the option of a coffee or lunch at the Cafe to round the day out. If there is one component of the design process that sets a new benchmark for excellence in Victoria, it would be the manner in which TCL and Brandrick Architects embraced working with a small rural community to achieve such a wonderful outcome.

The Girgarre community faced many challenges at the turn of the twenty-first century. The millennium drought, rationalization of the dairy industry and the closure of the local Heinz factory in 2013 led to fundamental change. But out of this challenge came a bold vision: the Gargarro Botanic Garden, on land donated by Kraft Heinz on their departure from the district.

Small rural communities throughout Australia are under pressure: once thriving businesses have closed, population has declined, and services have diminished. The establishment of a world-class botanic garden was the path taken by the citizens of Girgarre to provide a new direction for the district. For it to be successful, it had to be bold, beautiful, and unique. The visionary design work of TCL and Brandrick Architects has achieved this.

This Garden is a place to gather, grow, and thrive. Inspired by the Kaiela (Goulburn) River, local farmlands and the land of the Yorta Yorta People, the Garden showcases Australian native plants through innovative horticulture, a unique recirculating water feature, and strong community involvement. This contemporary garden offers a vibrant, sustainable landscape celebrating Australia’s natural beauty and heritage—a vibrant space for connection, creativity, and nature.

"Build it and they will come" is a catchcry that will come to fruition only if it fills a need in the community. The arrival of 30,000 visitors in the first year certainly indicates that Gargarro’s unique design has captured the imagination of not only the regional community, but also those further afield. One unanticipated outcome generated by the wide interest in Gargarro is the fostering of artist development throughout regional Victoria. Resulting from a grant provided by the Shire of Campaspe, a spectacular eight-meter statue of a Banksia has recently been commissioned for the garden.

The decision to embark on the Gargarro Regional Botanic Garden project was made after widespread consultation within the Girgarre community. The Convenor of the project was once asked, "Why a Botanic Garden?" His answer was: "If we get this right, if the design and construction are world class, then no-one will take it away from us. The town's major employer has moved offshore, the railway has closed, as have most of the once thriving businesses in the township, and other services are under pressure. This garden will last forever."

While at this early stage of development all work is carried out by volunteers, that will change as the garden develops and employment is created. The equivalent of five full-time jobs has been created at the Gargarro Cafe, significant in a village of 200 people.

The business case for further development of the garden indicates that there will be significant benefits to the Regional Economy as Gargarro continues to grow. The project has also had a significant impact on the social wellbeing of local residents, not only because it has provided a space for social interaction, but the profound success of the venture has also engendered a great deal of community pride.

The first stage of the garden contains 28,000 plants, many of which are rare and endangered, thus playing an important role in conserving native fauna. Most of the species have been selected to cope with Climate Change, which will assist amateur gardeners in selecting appropriate species for their own environment.

The design adheres to the principles of a Circular Economy: no waste leaves the site. Organic waste from the Cafe is composted by volunteers and used in the botanic garden. There is no doubt that the Gargarro Botanic Garden project has assisted in promoting and building on Victoria’s creative culture.