Batman Park
Encyclopedia
Batman Park is an urban park
, located on the northern bank of the Yarra River
in central Melbourne
, Victoria, Australia.
Batman Park is a small open grassed space with paths and planted Eucalyptus
trees bordered by Spencer Street at the west, Flinders Street Viaduct
at the north and King Street to the east.
The park was established in 1982 through the conversion of a disused freight train rail yard
and was named after one of the founders of Melbourne, John Batman
with historical associations as a landing place of the Schooner Rebecca
and nearby settlement at Batman's Hill
.
In 1997 Batman Park was effectively split in half with the section east of King Street was rebranded as Enterprize Park. Much of the land on the new park was reclaimed to recreate a historical 1850s Turning Basin
and timber wharf with sculptures by Bruce Armstrong timber wharf and Geoffrey Bartlett recalling the site's maritime history. Enterprize park also became the site of the Melbourne Aquarium
.
nation's territory prior to European settlement. At this time the site was part of extensive riverside wetlands. After settlement the area was used as a dumping ground for waste and discharge for sewerage and storm water, destroying the wetlands and turning the site from diverse riverside wetlands to smelly muddy swampland.
Throughout the 19th century the main port of Melbourne, today known as the Turning Basin, directly east of the park, dictated the use of the surrounding land for cargo facilities and rail yards. In the late 19th century more substantial wharfs and docks were constructed in deepened waters downstream, abandoning the cargo facilities and rail yards at the site.
The site remained largely disused throughout much of the mid 20th century until the park was established in 1982. The park was home to Ron Robertson-Swann
's Vault
sculpture, commonly nicknamed the "Yellow Peril", which was relocated several times throughout the 1980s and 90s. The sculpture has resided at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
since 2002. In 1997 the original turning basin, which had been filled in during the 1950s, was reinstated, and the portion of Batman Park to the east of Kings Bridge was renamed Enterprize Park after the schooner which landed at the site in 1835.
In the 1990s a pigeon loft was built in the north-east corner of the park to encourage pigeons to roost away from the city buildings and streets, their eggs are captured and disposed of to curtail the population. In 1999, the Melbourne Aquarium
was built directly east of the park, at the western end of Enterprize Park. The park has survived development while surrounding sites have not, construction of residential apartments has begun on the former Fish Market site to the north of the park opposite the Flinders Street Viaduct
, which had formally been proposed as an extension of Batman Park.
between Queens Street and Kings Way. Its northern boundary is bordered by the Flinders Street Viaduct
which was constructed around the same time the park was founded, the viaduct separated the park from the former Fish Markets which is currently the site of new apartment buildings.
The park sits on an almost flat section of the riverbank that very occasionally floods. Prior to the construction of the Upper Yarra Dam, the site flooded more regularly, depositing silt and soil, creating swamp and wetlands. Current vegetation in the park consists of sparse maturing eucalypts
with no understorey or saplings. The ground is covered by non-native grasses, creating vast lawns which are intersected by a basic network of sealed paths.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
, located on the northern bank of the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
in central Melbourne
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
, Victoria, Australia.
Batman Park is a small open grassed space with paths and planted Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
trees bordered by Spencer Street at the west, Flinders Street Viaduct
Flinders Street Viaduct
The Flinders Street Viaduct is a railway bridge in Melbourne, Australia. Made up of six tracks of varying ages, it links Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross Station and forms the main link between the eastern and western parts of the Victorian rail network.The viaduct takes a twisted path,...
at the north and King Street to the east.
The park was established in 1982 through the conversion of a disused freight train rail yard
Rail yard
A rail yard, or railroad yard, is a complex series of railroad tracks for storing, sorting, or loading/unloading, railroad cars and/or locomotives. Railroad yards have many tracks in parallel for keeping rolling stock stored off the mainline, so that they do not obstruct the flow of traffic....
and was named after one of the founders of Melbourne, John Batman
John Batman
John Batman was an Australian grazier, businessman and explorer who is best known for his role in the founding of a settlement which became Melbourne and the colony of Victoria.-Life:...
with historical associations as a landing place of the Schooner Rebecca
Schooner Rebecca
The 30-ton sloop Rebecca was launched in 1834, built by Captain George Plummer at his boatyard on the banks of the Tamar River at Rosevears, Van Diemen's Land ....
and nearby settlement at Batman's Hill
Batman's Hill
Batman's Hill in Melbourne, Australia was named for the Vandemonian adventurer and grazier John Batman. Now removed, the 18 metre high hill was located to the south of today's Collins Street and Southern Cross railway station, and is the site of a steel marker the same height as the original...
.
In 1997 Batman Park was effectively split in half with the section east of King Street was rebranded as Enterprize Park. Much of the land on the new park was reclaimed to recreate a historical 1850s Turning Basin
Canal basin
A canal basin is an expanse of waterway alongside or at the end of a canal, and wider than the canal, constructed to allow boats to moor or unload cargo without impeding the progress of other traffic, and to allow room for turning, thus serving as a winding hole...
and timber wharf with sculptures by Bruce Armstrong timber wharf and Geoffrey Bartlett recalling the site's maritime history. Enterprize park also became the site of the Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium in central Melbourne, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Yarra River beside and under the Flinders Street Viaduct and the King Street Bridge.-History:...
.
History
The site was originally part of the WurundjeriWurundjeri
The Wurundjeri are a people of the Indigenous Australian nation of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin alliance, who occupy the Birrarung Valley, its tributaries and the present location of Melbourne, Australia...
nation's territory prior to European settlement. At this time the site was part of extensive riverside wetlands. After settlement the area was used as a dumping ground for waste and discharge for sewerage and storm water, destroying the wetlands and turning the site from diverse riverside wetlands to smelly muddy swampland.
Throughout the 19th century the main port of Melbourne, today known as the Turning Basin, directly east of the park, dictated the use of the surrounding land for cargo facilities and rail yards. In the late 19th century more substantial wharfs and docks were constructed in deepened waters downstream, abandoning the cargo facilities and rail yards at the site.
The site remained largely disused throughout much of the mid 20th century until the park was established in 1982. The park was home to Ron Robertson-Swann
Ron Robertson-Swann
Ron Robertson-Swann OAM , is an Australian sculptor, best known for his controversial abstract public sculpture Vault . His sculpture has been described as being in the Anthony Caro style , which he adopted after studying at St Martins School of Art, London, in the 1960s. He studied under Lyndon...
's Vault
Vault (sculpture)
Vault is a public sculpture located in Melbourne, Australia. The work of sculptor Ron Robertson-Swann, Vault is an abstract, minimalist sculpture built of large thick flat polygonal sheets of prefabricated steel, assembled in a way that suggests dynamic movement...
sculpture, commonly nicknamed the "Yellow Peril", which was relocated several times throughout the 1980s and 90s. The sculpture has resided at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
The Australian Centre For Contemporary Art is a contemporary art gallery in Melbourne, Australia. The gallery is located on Sturt Street in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, in the inner suburb of Southbank....
since 2002. In 1997 the original turning basin, which had been filled in during the 1950s, was reinstated, and the portion of Batman Park to the east of Kings Bridge was renamed Enterprize Park after the schooner which landed at the site in 1835.
In the 1990s a pigeon loft was built in the north-east corner of the park to encourage pigeons to roost away from the city buildings and streets, their eggs are captured and disposed of to curtail the population. In 1999, the Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium
Melbourne Aquarium is a Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium in central Melbourne, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Yarra River beside and under the Flinders Street Viaduct and the King Street Bridge.-History:...
was built directly east of the park, at the western end of Enterprize Park. The park has survived development while surrounding sites have not, construction of residential apartments has begun on the former Fish Market site to the north of the park opposite the Flinders Street Viaduct
Flinders Street Viaduct
The Flinders Street Viaduct is a railway bridge in Melbourne, Australia. Made up of six tracks of varying ages, it links Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross Station and forms the main link between the eastern and western parts of the Victorian rail network.The viaduct takes a twisted path,...
, which had formally been proposed as an extension of Batman Park.
Location, Geography and Ecology
The park is located on the northern bank of the Yarra riverYarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
between Queens Street and Kings Way. Its northern boundary is bordered by the Flinders Street Viaduct
Flinders Street Viaduct
The Flinders Street Viaduct is a railway bridge in Melbourne, Australia. Made up of six tracks of varying ages, it links Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross Station and forms the main link between the eastern and western parts of the Victorian rail network.The viaduct takes a twisted path,...
which was constructed around the same time the park was founded, the viaduct separated the park from the former Fish Markets which is currently the site of new apartment buildings.
The park sits on an almost flat section of the riverbank that very occasionally floods. Prior to the construction of the Upper Yarra Dam, the site flooded more regularly, depositing silt and soil, creating swamp and wetlands. Current vegetation in the park consists of sparse maturing eucalypts
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
with no understorey or saplings. The ground is covered by non-native grasses, creating vast lawns which are intersected by a basic network of sealed paths.