A small plaque. It’s almost hidden. It whispers of Cremorne Gardens. This unassuming spot. Charles Evans Reserve. It holds a secret. A vibrant past buried beneath the grass.
Charles Evans Reserve isn’t just a park. It’s a time capsule. Imagine 19th-century Melbourne. A time of pleasure gardens. A time of grand entertainments. This very ground. Once home to Richmond’s famed Cremorne Gardens.
James Ellis a man of vision. He transformed ten acres near the Yarra. Wrights Swamp became a dazzling spectacle. Horseshoe shaped gardens sloped towards a lagoon. Ash oak and poplar trees created a canopy. A statue of Eve graced a grotto. A pagoda arrived from New York.
The official opening was December 10 1853. The first day’s takings went to the Melbourne Hospital. Sadly the success was short-lived. Crowds weren’t as large as hoped.
Yet Cremorne thrived. For a shilling or half-a-crown visitors enjoyed dancing. They ascended a Swiss staircase. They watched tightrope walkers and fireworks. A paddle steamer the Gondola brought them from Princes Bridge. A safer alternative than walking. Larrikins roamed Melbourne’s streets.
Legal troubles plagued Ellis. Sunday alcohol sales were restricted. He pleaded with Lieutenant-Governor Hotham. His pleas were ignored. A reflection of the era’s strict morality.
Ellis leased the Gardens in 1855. George Coppin a theatrical giant took over. He invested 10000 pounds. He added a maze a bowling saloon a rifle gallery and a menagerie.
The Pantheon an open-air theatre hosted performances and concerts. Fireworks displays were spectacular. Models depicted Mt Vesuvius’ eruption. The Opium Wars and the Sepoy Rebellion were recreated.
Coppin’s innovations continued. A railway station improved access. Lions swans and camels joined the menagerie. Camels used later by Burke and Wills. 150 statues adorned the grounds.
A grand raffle. John Pascoe Fawkner challenged its legality. The prizemoney was halved. The lottery proceeded.
Cremorne hosted fairs the Eight Hours Movement celebrations and an industrial exhibition. It was the site of Australia’s first balloon flight. Charles Brown and Joseph Dean made history. A leak meant only Dean ascended in The Australasian.
Despite attracting 5000 visitors on busy days Cremorne closed in 1863. Maintenance costs soared. Weather and distance were deterrents. The Gardens’ reputation for attracting prostitutes also played a role.
Today Charles Evans Reserve stands as a quiet reminder. A testament to Melbourne’s colourful past. A hidden treasure. A place where history thrives beneath our feet.