Ferdinand von Mueller

Melbourne bot & zoologic Garden,

20. Aug.1861

Sir

In reporting according to your request on the accompanying documents,

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Filed with this letter is one written by the Government Astronomer, R. Ellery, on 12 August 1861 to the Surveyor General, Charles Ligar: 'I have the honor to report to you that Trenches , — evidently marking a line of Road — have been made from the N W entrance of, & through, the Government Domain S Melbourne by the Govt Botanist; and that the line so laid out, abutts upon and cuts through, nearly the middle of the Observatory Reserve — as proclaimed in the Government Gazette of the 15th of March last—in a way shewn on the accompanying tracing. The Observatory Reserve was trenched out and marked according to the proclamation some time since—the trenching of the road has been done subsequently. No regular road existed here previously and if it be allowed to become a roadway even for pedestrians the reserve will be untenable as the Site for the Observatory. I trust therefore this line of road will not be sanctioned'.

Ligar commented on 13 August: 'Submitted for the information of the Honble The President. It appears that Dr Mueller has set out & planted a road way since the Proclaiming of the Observatory Reserve took place, and made the said road abut upon the land so reserved. I am not aware that Dr Mueller has received any Authority to set out roads through the land in question or that he has any instructions with reference to this one in particular'. On 19 August Hodgkinson referred Ellery's letter to M for report.

I have the honor to inform you, that I directed a line of footpath in continuation of one recently formed in the botanic Gardens Reserve to be marked out by light furrows (at an average four inches deep) from the northern side of the botanical Museum to the entrance of the Governments House reserve next the Immigration Depot, with a view of submitting the adoption of the line for the consideration of the honorable the Board of Land and Works, should as I hoped a slight alteration in the position of the Observatory be admissable. I was informed by the Governments Astronomer, that a walk might pass within 200' of the position assigned for the transit-instrument and the whole alteration of the site, in order to admit of the formation of the nearest walk for the numerous pedestrians passing daily from South Yarra to Princes Bridge and back, would have not exceeded about 100 feet.

In marking out the above line I was studious to hold it away as far as the fall of the ground permitted, from the Observatory site. Nothing whatever is done beyond forming the slight superficial furrows to bring the line, which I would have had the honor to propose forming, clearly in view, and I entertained a hope, that by spontaneously stepping forwarding

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Spelling as in MS.

to aid in the embellishment of one of the most desolate spots near the city, in which endeavour I have been very generously seconded by the honorable the Board of Land and Works, I would not only confer a service on numerous residents in the neighbourhood, but also lead a beautiful avenue both to the Observatory and museum.

But when after the marking out of the line the Governments Astronomer positively declared, that no alteration whatever in the site of the Observatory could be effected, I althogether refrained from the thought of recommending the formation of the indicated avenue for the consideration of the Board of Land and Works.

I may add, that the walk laid out through the botanic Gardens reserve leads from the main-entrance at South Yarra to the botanical Museum and ceases there.

Clem. Hodgkinson Esqr

Secretary to the Board of Land and Works

&c&c&c

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On 26 August 1861 Hodgkinson referred M's letter to Ellery 'who will perceive that there is now no intention of forming the road through the land reserved for the observatory'.