Bendigo Heritage and Future Gardens Accessible Walk

Bendigo Heritage and Future Gardens Accessible Walk created by Victoria Walks

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Summary

This walk or roll visits two special botanic gardens. They are connected by a wide sealed path. You will see beautiful plants and ponds in an historic garden and a modern dry garden.

Description

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Is this walk accessible for me?
The walk is accessible for everyone. It is easy by foot, using a wheelchair or other mobility aid.

What can I see?
The gardens are next to each other. Walk or roll between them on a connecting path.

The Heritage Garden has large trees, flower beds, green lawns and a lake.

The Future Garden has dry climate plants arranged around a circular path.

How accessible is the path?
There are maps at entrances. Heritage Garden paths are sealed. Future Garden paths are compacted granitic sand. The path between gardens has a mild slope.

There is space for side by side travel and wheelchairs to turn. There are no steps. Changing your route is easy. Cars can park at different pick up locations. Mobile coverage is good.

Cyclists may share some paths.

Rest areas
There are accessible seats and roll under picnic tables with path access in each garden. Otherwise, seats and BBQs may be surrounded by lawns. Refreshments can be purchased in Napier St.

The Heritage Garden has shade trees. A large picnic shelter near the lake has roll under tables. The dirt floor is uneven

The Future Garden is generally exposed to the weather. It has small shelters.

Accessible water fountains may have stiff buttons and splash. Bubbler style fountains may not be accessible. Carrying a water bottle is a good idea.

Toilets
The single Heritage Garden accessible toilet is an older design with a narrow ramp (see photo).

The Future Garden has a modern accessible toilet at the outdoor stage. The café also has accessible toilets (when it opens).

Dogs
Dogs must be on leash.

Parking
The Heritage Garden has two accessible spaces with ramps directly to the walking path. The car park is off street. It has a smooth, flat, sealed surface.

There are accessible car parks at other locations. Bosquet St parking is also for a Primary School. School pick up times are busy. It requires crossing the road.

Buses
Bus No. 5 in Napier St is every 30 minutes. Stops are 400 meters from the walk on a concrete footpath. Use the traffic lights to the other side of the road. Bus shelters include seating and mobility aid space.

The following photos and descriptions provide more information regarding accessibility. Conditions may change. If you notice any variations, please let us know.

We would like to know what people with disabilities and carers think of this accessible Walking Map. Please tell us by completing this 5 minute survey.
Your feedback will help us to create local walks information of high quality for carers and people with disability.

Other accessible walks
Lake Weeroona Accessible Walk

“Walking and rolling together: accessible walking trails for people with disability" is a partnership between Victoria Walks and Scope.

Victoria Walks acknowledges the suppot of Access for All Abilities, an initiative of the Victorian Government.

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Points of Interest

1. Heritage Garden accessible parking

Parking with protected side space is at all main entrances except Napier St. The walk start is at the service road parking for the Heritage Garden. There are access ramps directly to garden paths.

2. Directional signage

Maps at each main point of entry show all pathways and amenities. The main pathway intersections have signs, but not all.

3. Picnic tables, BBQs and playground

There are accessible seats, picnic tables and BBQs using surrounding paved areas and smooth paths. Not all seats have armrests. Other seats and BBQs are surrounded by lawns.

4. The walking and rolling experience

Paths are smooth and wide of either bitumen or compacted granitic sand. Some tree litter and small tree root rises may be encountered. There is the occasional uneven ground at a path edge.

5. Heritage Garden Pavilion

A short bridge accesses a large shelter beside the lake. Bridge width is 1.8m. Some ingrowth made the entry 1.3m. Shelter tables have gaps for wheelchair access. The earth floor is slightly uneven.

6. The lake

The very pretty lake in the Heritage Garden offers a tranquil reflective space.

7. One mild slope

The site is flat, as are the pathways. The only mild slope encountered is on the wide connecting path between the two gardens that passes by the Bendigo Creek bridge.

8. Cafes

The Garden cafe is awaiting a business. It includes accessible outdoor tables and toilets. There is a grated metal bridge over ponds to the building or paths around it. Napier St has a cafe and pub.

9. Accessible picnic tables

These picnic tables outside the cafe allow for shared access between wheelchairs and seated visitors to the Future Garden.

10. Future Garden ramp access

After passing by the cafe to enter the Future Garden a gently sloping, wide concrete ramp is provided as an alternative to steps for accessing the main circuit path.

11. Future Garden shade

The Future Garden is exposed. There are shelters behind the main path on firm, smooth, compacted pathways that most people can access. Otherwise, the hedge surrounding the main path may provide shade.

12. Drinking water

Water fountains of various designs are in both gardens. Some are better for wheelchair access than others. Taps and buttons can be stiff. Here the height is right, but watch out for the splash back!

13. Outdoor stage

This large outdoor stage is host to performances in the Future Garden. It is fronted by a broad lawn for the audience. Access to the lawn is via grassy ramps from the compacted main pathways.

14. Future Garden accessible toilets

This toilet is at the back of the outdoor stage. It is accessible via an 850mm wide doorway. It is spacious inside. No hand drying is provided for.

15. Future Garden continuous seating

The Future Garden circuit pathway is lined with seating. There are no wheelchair gaps. Wheelchair users may be better to seek shade in the shelters provided on other paths.

16. Main Future Garden entry accessible parking

Alternative parking at the main Future Garden entry is worth considering. You can access the walk from various locations.

17. Future Garden future bus stop

The main entry to the Future Garden has its very own bus stop. In time, this will make public transport an easier option. The shelter has space for mobility aids. All it needs is buses!

18. Accessible toilet Heritage Garden

An older style ramp access toilet, the ramp is 1.1m wide due to railing and the door 850mm . The turning circle within the room is restricted to 1.8m by a fixed seat. Other toilets may be preferable.

19. Footpath for public transport access

It is about 400m to Napier St bus shelters. These are best accessed by the 1.4m wide, mildly sloping Scott St footpath opposite the Heritage Garden. Road crossings are required.

20. Napier St archway entry

The Napier St Archway entry to the Heritage Gardens involves use of a moderately sloping compacted pathway that has rough areas due to erosion. It is not recommended.