About Johnstone Park Geelong - WhatHasBeenDone
1. Who’s the park named after?
Johnstone park is named after Mayor Robert de Bruce Johnstone. Johnstone earned a reputation as the ‘parks and gardens’ mayor for his support of the Geelong Botanic Gardens and of its curator Daniel Bunce. He served three terms from 1865 to 1867 and had the park named after him for his efforts to beautify Geelong.
2. Was it always a park?
Nope and in wet weather you can some times see what it’s old use was… Johnstone Park was once a swamp and later a dam. It didn’t become became a park in 1872 and today it is still an ideal escape from the city with sloping parkland with it’s palm trees.
3. What is that beautiful white building with all the stairs behind the library?
That’s our Peace Memorial (war memorial)
Located at at the north western corner of the Art Gallery is one of Geelong’s most special places, The Peace Memorial. This magnificent structure commemorates those n our region who have been lost in War. The memorial has some Geelong’s most beautiful examples architecture including one of the most amazing ceilings you will ever see.
The Peace Memorial is usually open on the first Sunday afternoon of the month. People can come and inspect the names and pay respect to the fallen. The Guides and Custodians of the Peace Memorial are former servicemen.
If you haven’t seen inside yet it’s something you NEED to put in your list.
Other buildings on its southern edge are the historic City Hall, Geelong Gallery, Peace Memorial and Regional Library.
4. What is that big ‘not quite a building’ thing in the centre of the park?
It’s a band stand. The main focal point in the centre of the park is the beautiful The Hitchcock Memorial Bandstand.
It was was erected in the park 1873 and is used as a backdrop to many events in Geelong. They were really popular in parks back in the day.
The Gates on Mercer Street are also called ‘Hitchcock’ Archway and are named after the same guy.
Howard Hitchcock was mayor of Geelong from 1917 and 1922 and was a well-regarded civic leader and has his name remembered on many things around our city including the English Renaissance style Memorial Gateway at the corner of Mercer Street and Gordon Avenue.
This structure built in 1925 leads the way to the Geelong Peace Memorial and offers a lovely vista of the parkland.
5. Who is the statue of?
That’s The King George V overlooking Johnstone Park, it is one of Geelong’s finest bronze statues. Standin
g proudly on a granite stone King George V was unveiled by Victoria’s Governor in 1938. He was cast at the Fonderie Chivrazzi in Naples Italy and designed by sculpture Wallace Anderson.
If you haven’t been down to Johnstones park in a while – do yourself a favour and head down. You just might see the history through out the park not just the beauty now.
(Johnstone Park is surrunded by Fenwick, Mercer, Little Malop and Gheringhap streets, and Gordon Avenue)
