Originally set aside as a public reserve in 1851, the gardens were developed in 1867 to a design by Clement Hodgkinson and then further developed by William Guilfoyle.
The gardens feature avenues of mature trees along the crossing paths, forming a 'cathedral' or 'tunnel' effect. A prominent landscape feature is the contrasting evergreen foliage of conifers, palms, and Moreton Bay figs against a background of deciduous elms, oaks, and poplars.
Other features include a Robert Burns memorial; an ornamental lake with a monument to President John F Kennedy; a memorial statue of Sir William Clarke; and the Victorian Emergency Services Memorial, which honours fallen members of all of Victoria’s emergency services organisations.
The Treasury Gardens are a popular venue for weddings, community events and rallies.