Treasury Gardens
The Treasury Gardens sit between Fitzroy Gardens and Spring Street on the eastern boundary of the CBD. 
These small and peaceful gardens provide a place for city workers to relax at lunchtime and, along with Fitzroy Gardens, are home to a multitude of brushtail possums at night. The Gardens derive much of their significance from their proximity to the city and to Parliament, and as a consequence are a popular venue for community events and rallies.
Treasury Gardens have been recommended for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage list.
Full-screen picture of Treasury Gardens
Map of park - Click here
Toilet - Yes
Playground - No
Sports field - No
Barbecue - No
Melway Ref - 2G A3
Size - 5.8380ha
Dog off-leash area - No
Running/bike track - No
Things to see
- the Robert Burns memorial, honouring the famous Scottish poet;
- an ornamental pond with a monument to President John F. Kennedy;
- a memorial statue of distinguished Melbourne citizen Sir William Clarke;
- a large embankment, home to various statues of Victorian politicians that offers views to the south; and
- a stone hitching post and water drinking trough, both reminders of Melbourne's horse-drawn transport of the past.
Things to do
- relax with city workers on the lush lawns at lunchtime;
- discover the historic monuments of Fitzroy and Treasury Gardens;
- plan a wedding or Christmas party in the midst of the Gardens with beautiful surrounds;
- visit the Gardens at dusk and see the brushtail possums emerge from the trees to feed; and
- explore the extensive pathway system that runs through the park and connects with Fitzroy Gardens.
The Gardens provide many fine avenues of mature trees, which line the park and its edges. These trees traverse the spacious lawns and include elms, figs, and large examples of plane tree and Canary Island palm. Rock borders of ivy, hydrangeas and flax line the embankment on the northern side of the gardens.
Access and mobility
Smooth bitumen paths with brick paved spoon drains are easily traversed but the ground slopes steeply down from Treasury Place, the north boundary, and Spring Street.
Establishment of the gardens
The land that now forms the Gardens was originally sub-divided for building allotments but was so swampy that no buyers were interested and it was decided to leave the area as open space.
The Gardens were set out at roughly the same time as the adjoining Fitzroy Gardens in the 1860s, but were primarily planted up to improve the view to the State Government buildings on Spring Street. Clement Hodgkinson laid the Gardens out to a relatively simple design – a pattern of diagonally crossing paths lined with trees. Their only ornament was a willow-fringed pond, which the director of the Botanic Gardens, William Guilfoyle, transformed into a Japanese garden at the turn of the 20th century.
The 20th century
Responsibility for the management of the Gardens was transferred to the City of Melbourne in 1929 and the area was later permanently reserved as a public 'park'. At that time the Gardens had become very overgrown. They were seen by some as ‘a beautiful bit of unspoilt nature’ and by others as ‘a blot on the City’.
Much of the current layout and detailing of the gardens has been retained from this early period of development and these historic Gardens remain a public amenity provided on Crown land.
Japanese garden
Guilfoyle’s Japanese garden around the pond was demolished after the Second World War. In 1965 this area was redeveloped as a memorial to former US President John F. Kennedy following his assassination.
The gardens today
The Treasury Gardens are one of a number of gardens and small ornamental reserves that create a landscaped setting for Victoria’s Parliament House. Overlooked by offices in the old Treasury and Lands Department buildings, these Gardens are separated from the Fitzroy Gardens by Lansdowne Street.
Many old trees, such as the fine avenue of Moreton Bay figs, survive from the Gardens’ earliest period. The contrasting colour and tree forms are dramatic in Autumn.
The path from the embankment, below Treasury Place, links into the main walk across the Fitzroy Gardens.
The Fitzroy and Treasury Gardens Master Plan was adopted by Council in 1996.
Sir William John Clarke Memorial
Bertram Mackennal’s marble bust of Sir William Clarke, circa 1902, is located by the Treasury building and greets visitors from the city.
Clarke was a wealthy pastoralist who contributed to the funding of St Paul’s Cathedral.
Sir William and his wife, Janet Lady Clarke, whose memorial resides in the Queen Victoria Gardens, were highly regarded public figures noted for their philanthropy.
It was erected by public subscription and presented to the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Melbourne in trust for the people and unveiled by the Governor of Victoria on 22 July 1902.
Robert Burns Memorial
This bronze memorial of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns is a replica of the sculpture in his birthplace of Ayr in Scotland. The Scottish community strongly supported the public campaign to have this statue erected, (it was commissioned by the Caledonian Society).
Sculpted by G.A. Lawson and mounted on a bronze plinth, the statue was unveiled in 1904 in its original position in St Kilda Road, but was relocated to the Treasury Gardens in 1970. Each year on the poet’s birthday, admirers lay flowers by the statue.
President John F Kennedy Memorial
By the secluded lake is the bronze bas-relief memorial to the former President of the USA.
The site was landscaped especially for the memorial and the island is paved with slate and decorated with natural rock and granite boulders. It also features an ornamental water fountain.
In late 1963 a special committee was established to consider a memorial to JFK following his assassination. Submissions from the public contributed to the general form of memorial, and the design and layout was carried out by the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens and the City Architect.
It was made by sculptor Raymond B. Ewers in 1965 and bears the inscription: "This memorial signifies the grateful recognition by the citizens of this city for the services given by John F. Kennedy as President of the United States of America 1960-1963". It was unveiled by the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
Public transport
Starting point: Federation Square (Melbourne)
Take tram (48, 75, or the City Circle) from Flinders Street. | 
