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Statement of Significance

The site of Brisbane City Botanic Gardens was selected as a public garden in 1828 by New South Wales Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser three years after the establishment of the European settlement. Originally the garden was planted with food crops to feed the convicts. In 1855, a portion of the land was declared a 'botanic reserve' and Walter Hill was appointed as curator. The Queensland Heritage Register describes the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens as 'the most significant, non-aboriginal cultural landscape in Queensland having a continuous horticultural history since 1828, without any significant loss of land area or change in use over time.' It incorporates Brisbane's most mature gardens and features many rare and unusual species of plants. These Weeping figs were planted by the Garden’s head gardener, James Pink (1881-1886), for a shady walk along the river bank from the Edward Street gates to the ferry terminal which was located at Gardens Point at the time.
These trees make an important contribution to the landscape of these heritage gardens.Viewed from the Kangaroo Point Cliffs on the opposite side of the Brisbane River, these figs offer a wonderful mass of green overhanging the river in the foreground of the city’s skyline, forming an important landmark. These trees help to provide shade to members of the community along the Garden's popular river path. At their maturity, they are beautiful trees.
These trees are located along the eastern river path from the Edward Street entrance to the Gardens.