Document information

Physical location:

No. 60/519, unit 33, VPRS 6605 inward correspondence, VA 538 Department of Crown Lands and Survey, Public Record Office, Victoria. 60.03.20

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Charles Tyers, 1860-03-20. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1860-9/1860/60-03-20-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Melbourne botanic & zoologic Garden,
20. March 1860
Sir
I have the honor to solicit, that you will be pleased to bring under the favorable notice of the honorable the board of lands & works the desirability of securing the Governments reserve between the botanic Garden & Princes bridge against the invasion of cattle by repair of the present fences & by the erection of a new line of ordinary three-rail fences parallel to and some distance from the bridge.
By the adoption of the latter line, on which has been reported by Mr Eaton, Clerk of works, the means would be aforded for watering horses & cattle passing the bridge, whilst it would secure the reserve against ingress from that side. I consider it also my duty to bring under your notice & under the favorable consideration of the honorable board the necessity of effecting some repair to the wooden tree enclosures at the Yarra banks within the Gov. House Reserve.
Finally I may be permitted to renew my application for being authorized to expend the sum of £125.-.- in wages out of the fund for improving parks & reserves, which sum under economical management will be sufficient to pay for the digging of the holes & the carting of good soil to them for the row of trees, which the honorable the board of lands & works has kindly granted to be established through the reserve. The labour for actual planting & superintendence afterwards will be provided by this establishment
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
your most obedient & humble servant
Ferd. Mueller,
Gov. Botanist
Mr Commissioner Tyers.
&c&c&c
1
See also M to J. Service, 21 March 1860.
On 22 March Tyers minuted: 'The Honble the Commissioner of Public Works having declined to sanction any expenditure for Parks by this Department, in consequence of its being about to be abolished — I have to request that the Honble the Commr of Lands will be pleased to instruct me in this matter'. On 26 March he added: 'Will Mr Bickford inform me what steps have been taken towards fencing & repairs of fencing and tree boxes'. N. Bickford, Head Crown Ranger, replied on 26 March: 'Tenders have been called for the completion of fencing and repairs of fencing referred to in the first paragraph of Dr Mueller's letter but no action has been taken for the repairs of the tree enclosures'. On 26 March Tyers submitted an: 'Estimated cost of Works & labor required for the Public Parks & Govt Domain' (i.e. South Park, Royal Park, Princes Park and Government House Domain) totalling £1560.16.0 to the Board.
The President of the Board of Land and Works and Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey, J. Service, minuted on 29 March: 'I think Dr Mueller's applications worthy of attention — if the cost would not be excessive — The repairs to the Tree fences especially ought to be at once attended to'.