The Brisbane City Botanic Gardens are the first Botanic gardens built in the city. Part
of the riverside site where the gardens are located was originally a
botanic reserve. It was established in 1828 to provide food for the
early penal colony. The City Botanic Gardens officially opened in 1855.
That year, the botanic gardens' curator Walter Hill was appointed as the
first superintendent.
The
gardens have had a few changes, there was once a Zoo and a bear pit
located within them, and three tortoise. Tom Dick and Harry. Harry, a giant
Galapagos Land Tortoise. was later discovered to be Harriet was
hatched about 1830. She and her two brothers were brought to Brisbane
from London where Charles Darwin had taken them, by Lieutenant John C
Wickham, who was then in the navy. After Wickham retired from the navy
he lived for some time at Newstead House and when he returned to England
he donated the tortoise' to the City Botanic gardens. Harriet the
oldest of the three, lived to approximately 175 years of age.
For this sketch I used De Atramentis Inks and watercolour in the shadow on the ground.
I drew this in my A4 sketchbook with a 2B mechanical pencil.
The white building is Old Mineral House. 1870s–1890s
It was built by Smellie and Co a 1860's foundry next door as a warehouse.
