Horsham's Public Art & Heritage Trail Gardens-River section

Horsham's Public Art & Heritage Trail Gardens-River section created by HRCC

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Summary

This trail has been divided into two distinct precincts; the CBD Trail and the Gardens-River Trail to guide you through some of the art and heritage sites within Horsham

Description

On this trail we have featured only a portion of Horsham city's individual heritage places but you will notice much more on your journey. Places can be significant due to their "aesthetic, historic, scientific, technical or social value to the past, present and future generations" (Burra Charter; 1999).

Horsham Rural City Council has been active in sourcing public art for the city. ".. Public art will contribute to the vibrancy of public spaces for the enjoyment of locals and visitors enhance the identity of Horsham and enrich the region's cultural life."

Taking place since 1995, Horsham's annual "Art is.." festival has offered the regional community a diverse program of contemporary performing and visual arts. Each festival has a theme that reflects an important element of the local environment or community.

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Points of Interest

1. 'Scar Tree' 2003

Artist Tim Jones was commissioned to create this Scar Tree sculpture that commemorates a scarred box tree that once stood near this site. The tree was found to be 'damaged' between 1644 and 1784

2. 'The Urban Forest - Fire Memorial' 2010

Created by Donal Molloy-Drum this memorial responds to the 2009 Remlaw Fire. The image of the birs is the actual shape formed by the Remlaw Fire (2218 hectares of land was burnt)

3. Old Weir and Swimming Area early 1900s

"The Horsham Times in January 1882 commented on the need for a public bathing place, especially since many lacked a bath in their houses. By 1908 a swimming pool had been constructed in river upstream

4. 'Wimmera - Woven Vessels' 2012

Created specifically for its site along the banks of the Wimmera River, the boat forms uses reclaimed fencing wire from farms including those affected by the 2011 floods. Photo by Michael Shiell.

5. War Memorial

This was dedicated on 18 April 2004. It was built to replace a Cenotaph and numerous memorials that were scattered around Horsham City

6. Wimmera River Environment Display - Mural 1999

This piece of work by local secondary school students explores the theme of Wimmera wetlands above and below the water. The colors and imagery are a direct response to the Wimmera's environment

7. Untitled Sculpture 2006

Winner of the 2006 Horsham Spring Garden Festival Acquisitive Sculpture Prize. Sculpturally the work is an allegory of the intimate relationship between water, trees and sustainable land use

8. 'Bunyip' 2010

Artist Kevin Gilders was commissioned to carve two sculptures out of an old sugar gum which had to be removed from the gardens for safety reasons.

9. 'Thomas Brown' 2010

The sculpture depicts founding Botanical Gardens Curator, Mr Thiomas Brown, planting the exact sugar gum on the birth of his son (circa 1895)

10. Horsham Botanic Gardens

The original design of Horsham Botanic Gardens was undertaken by the curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne, Mr William Guilfoyle, between 1873 and 1880.