There was standing room only at Shed 2, The Slipway, Lakes Entrance, where East Gippslanders gathered to hear about an idea for Botanic Gardens at 55 Palmers Road, where the office of the old Tambo Shire was built in the late 1980s.
The amalgamation of five shires into one created the vast East Gippsland Shire in 1994, with head offices in Bairnsdale.
The Lakes Entrance office is still in partial use, perched on the hill overlooking the town, with a spectacular view of Bass Strait.
The community is fortunate that this is public land, owned by East Gippsland Shire, the last high ground that is not yet lost to commercial interests.
The vision for Botanic Gardens on the site has sprung from the desire to create something of lasting benefit for Lakes Entrance and East Gippsland, celebrating the beauty, diversity and value of the place. The meeting focussed on the cultural values, education opportunities, the health and wellbeing benefits embedded in gardens and parklands.
The rich diversity of the flora and fauna in the region is a source of wonder and pride in the community. Gardens featuring that natural wealth will lead to a depth and breadth in the understanding of where people live.
There was general agreement on the lasting value of the idea and a great deal of enthusiasm around the possibilities.
The question at the conclusion of the discussion was centred on “How do we make this happen?”.
