Beyond the beach

Leaving Williamstown Beach, I headed back to the pier passing through the Botanic Gardens opened in the 1860s. Most of the trees were unnamed, but walking between the avenue of palms and by giant Moreton Bay fig trees created a peaceful end to my hour long hike.

Where did it go?

Brisbane’s newer botanic gardens near Mt Cootha were no match for the city gardens with one boundary against the Brisbane River. I wandered under an old banyan fig tree planted in the 1870s, savouring the shade. It may have been a native of India, but its expansive foliage was perfect under Brisbane’s heat.

The old face of Brisbane

On a walk down George Street towards the Brisbane River, I kept my eye out for the city’s older buildings. There was the men’s club opposite the Botanic Gardens and Parliament House diagonally across from this graceful building.

Melbourne’s Tan

The Tan Track was established in 1901. At that time, it comprised of four lanes: a path for horses, one for carriages, a bicycle lane, and a pedestrian path. The name Tan, was derived from the type of bark that covered the equestrian track. Over one hundred years later, only one track remains that is longer than the original. 

Giant Trees of Singapore’s Botanic Gardens

The Botanic Gardens were full of giants, not only along the rain forest walk, but throughout the gardens.

Buildings within Singapore’s Botanic Gardens

Holtam Hall was once the office of the Assistant Director of the Botanic Gardens until 1925. On my visit, the building had become the Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum. Within the two storey building, was a history of the gardens as well as displays on different plant species.

Orchids, Orchids and more Orchids

Singapore’s orchid garden was a photographer’s delight. Most of the varieties grown in the botanic gardens were in flower so there was one beautiful specimen after another — over a thousand species according to the brochure.

Creature of Singapore’s Botanic Gardens

I didn’t expect to spot anything beyond birds in the Botanic Gardens, but as I passed Eco Lake, there was something ominous swimming with its head above water — a lizard. Another dark outline swam closer. It was time to move on.

Melbourne’s Botanic Garden’s Tall Trees

Like all botanic gardens, Melbourne’s had fine examples of trees from around the world.

Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens for Children

Near the water in the children’s section of the Botanic Gardens was a hoard of three to five year olds. They were memorized by moving water that meandered near the edge of the bamboo forest.