In 1892, the trustees of the Exhibition building installed a sun dial in the surrounding garden - The Leader newspaper reported -
The Exhibition trustees continue to add attractions to the remarkably good show provided in the buildings.... A pretty feature has been erected on one of the lawns at the main entrance, in the shape of a floral sun dial, said to be the largest sun dial in the world. Half a dial 50 foot in diameter with figures 6 feet long is traced on the grass in living flowers of variegated tints, and the shadow is cast by an index 26 feet long. The idea was suggested by the secretary, Mr. J. E. Sherrard, the plan was drawn by Mr. Ellery, and the formation of the dial was carried out by Mr. W. Sangster, the gardener of the Exhibition trustees. (1)
State Library of Victoria image H84.202/21. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/243925
The next report I could find of the sun dial was ten years later, in 1902 -
There are one or two things in the grounds of the Exhibition that the visitor should see before he returns homewards....The sun dial near the front entrance is worth looking at for a moment, but don't for a moment regard it as an exact chronometer. The time as indicated by the shadow cast by the stile on the border is "apparent solar time," which is always behind the Victorian zone or statute time by a variable amount, ranging from four to thirty-five minutes. The above maximum is reached on the 14th February, and the minimum, on the 1st November. Sundials, it will be seen, are more ornamental than useful. (2)
However, sadly it appears that the Exhibition Gardens became quite neglected as this letter to the editor of The Herald noted in March 1904 -
However, sadly it appears that the Exhibition Gardens became quite neglected as this letter to the editor of The Herald noted in March 1904 -
The Carlton Gardens.
"Pro Patria" writes:- Last week, with a visitor from Sydney, who was desirous of seeing the beauties of our city, I paid a visit to the Carlton Gardens. Not having been there for some months, I was looking forward on seeing the beautiful late roses, perfect lawns, etc., etc., for which it was justly famous. Relying on my glowing account, my friend had built up very rosy visions, but on arrival had them sadly shattered. Instead of a garden, we found a wilderness. The once beautiful lawns are now overgrown with rank parasitical growths, in some places a foot high. The ornamental beds and shapely sun-dial are almost unrecognisable, through the profuse growth of foreign vegetable matter. This, Sir, is greatly to be regretted, for our city is all too bare of floral adornment, and our Exhibition display was one of which any city might be proud. (3)
A week later, The Herald, published this explanation of why the Garden was so neglected-
Carlton and Exhibition Gardens.
In "The Herald" of Thursday there appeared a complaint by "Pro Patria" as to the unsightly appearance of portions of the Carlton gardens, particular attention being called to the neglected state of the rose beds and floral sun-dial. So far as what is known as the Exhibition gardens, i.e., the grounds immediately surrounding the big building, and where the sun-dial is situated, is concerned, it might be explained that the Exhibition trustees who have control of that portion, have found it necessary to retrench, and as a result, the services of one of the gardeners have been dispensed with, while a second man is ill and has not been replaced by a temporary substitute. The Exhibition gardens are at present being looked after by the head gardener (Mr J. Taylor), and a youth, consequently it is quite impossible, under the circumstances, to keep the grounds in perfect order. The public generally is not aware of the fact that the two lots of ground are under different management, the Exhibition gardens being under the control, as stated above, of the trustees of the building (who receive no subsidy from the Government), while the outer portions, extending from Victoria street to Carlton street (and known as Carlton gardens), are cared for by a body of men under the control of Mr J. Guilfoyle, who is responsible to the Parks and Gardens Committee of the City Council. (4)
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The Sun Dial, Exhibition Gardens, Carlton
There were a few more mentions of the sun dial over the next few years - in a history of the clock published in The Australasian in 1905 -
The sun-dial was one of the first methods used by our forefathers to tell the time. No doubt most of my young readers have seen a sun-dial. A very pretty floral example is to be seen in the Melbourne
Exhibition-gardens. (5)
Exhibition-gardens. (5)
In 1906, The Town & Country Journal published a photograph of the sun-dial (sadly the photo is too dark to reproduce here) -
One of the attractions of the Exhibition Gardens, Melbourne, is the huge sun dial illustrated above. The dial, which is situated immediately in front of the Exhibition Building, is specially interesting to children, numbers of whom may often be seen working out the time of day. By it the time may be very accurately ascertained. (6)
Sun Dial at the Exhibition Gardens, Carlton, c. 1900.
Photographer: Thomas McKenzie Hill, taken from the roof of the Exhibition Building.
State Library of Victoria image H2004.84/13. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/359226
In 1911 The Leader reported on the sixth annual conference of the Australian National Nurserymen and Seedsmen's Association -
[the conference] was brought to a successful conclusion last week. A paper on the parks and gardens of Melbourne was read by Mr. R. Cheeseman, of the Brighton Nurseries. For many years Mr. Cheeseman had been an enthusiastic advocate of the system of opening up our parks and gardens, which is now enhancing the attractions of these beauty spots.......The gardening in the Exhibition reserves proved to be another centre of interest. The many bedding designs opposite the Exhibition, however, was regarded as more novel than attractive. It is open to question whether flags, bicycles, motor cars, kangaroos, emus and other figures designed with bedding plants is a legitimate form of gardening. It may be novel, but it is hardly artistic. The floral sun dial is not so bad. (7)
Exhibition Gardens and Building.
You can just see the Sun Dial to the left the part of the building with the arch.
State Library of Victoria image H90.132/15. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/367977
Floral Clocks and Dials.
Sir,- The picture of the floral clock in "The Age" of to-day reawakens the indignation that I felt at the vandalism of the authorities who have charge of our parks and gardens. Here in Melbourne we had a far more unique and interesting time indicator than a floral clock. In the Exhibition Gardens hours from one to twelve were composed of flowers, and a huge sun dial indicated the hours as the sun travelled from east to west. I have watched it many times with great pleasure, and, as a teacher, recognised its educational value as showing one of the many means of indicating the time before clocks were invented, or at least in general use. The last time I visited the gardens, a few years ago, I found the sun dial had been removed, also the figures, and ordinary flower beds in their place. -
Yours, &c., Clara Weeks. 4th February. (8)
Thus it appears that the largest sun dial in the world, was installed at the Exhibition Gardens from 1892 until around 1925.
Trove list - any article with a mention of the Sun Dial is on my Trove list, access it here.
Footnotes(1) The Leader, March 19, 1892, see here.
(2) Broadford Courier, December 31, 1902, see here
(3) The Herald, March 3, 1904, see here
(4) The Herald, March 9, 1904, see here
(5) The Australasian, March 18, 1905, see here.
(6) Australian Town and Country Journal, July 4, 1906, see here.
(7) The Leader, February 25, 1911, see here.
(8) The Age, February 5, 1929, see here.
