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A345 Royal ParkTrusteesletter and minute book, p. 30-1, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney. 69.03.11aPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to James Grant, 1869-03-11 [69.03.11a]. 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/1860-9/1869/69-03-11a-final.odt>, accessed June 10, 2026
Melbourne botan Garden
11/3/69
Sir
I have the honor on behalf of the trustees of the Royal Park to draw your kind attention
to the circumstance, that no funds are provided to maintain the Park expenditures
during 1869, no vote of the Acclimation Society being available as in former years.
The trustees therefore earnestly solicit that you will give your favorable consideration
to the propriety of allotting a share of the vote for public parks to the ground under
their control. It is scarcely needful to add that the maintenance of the extensive
fences, the repair of long lines of roads, the various shade and shelter plantations
of trees and copses involve a far larger outlay than the small amount of grazing fees,
which can be raised, while the Acclimation Society even after reducing largely its
operations, will barely be able to maintain the special area enclosed for zoological
purposes in a state of order.
The Royal Park is increasingly frequented by very numerous visitors and the only near
place for outdoor recreation to a considerable number of citizens and of the inhabitants
of the neighbouring townships. The trustees therefore beg to express a hope that the
claims of so large a portion of the metropolitan and suburban population will be kindly
considered by you on the occasion of the distribution of the grant for parks.
1
Evidently in response to this letter, Grant and the Chief Secretary, James McCulloch,
planned to visit the Royal Park 'during the Easter time', and the Trustees prepared
an estimate of works needed, included with M to J. Grant, 22 March 1869. No evidence has been found that the promised ministerial visit took place, but the minutes of the meeting of
the Trustees held on 27 April 1869 record that 'Mr Black informed the meeting that
the hon. the Chief Secretary had given his assurance that a sum for the maintenance
and improvements of the Park would be placed on the Estimates' (A345 Royal Park
Trustees
letter and minute book, p. 156
, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney
).
A grant of £1000 for the Acclimati
s
ation Society was included in the estimates for 1870 (Victoria,
Parliamentary Paper 1870 B 2
,
p. 17).
I have the honor to be
Sir
Your very obedient servant
(signed) Ferd. von Mueller
Hon. Sec. to the Trustees of the Royal Park
The honorable J.
M. Grant, Minister of the Crown Land Department