C.&A.Read,EmergingLandscapes,16.11.17 1

GardendesignconceptforNewsteadRailwayArtsHub

A.&C.Read,EmergingLandscapes,16thNovember2017

e.cassiaread@gmail.com,p.0432357191

RoughsketchofdesignconceptforNRAHgarden,byC.&A.Read(seeattacheddocumentforhighresolution,annotatedversion).

Design Intent

ThiswelcomingandbeautifulgardenwilleaseatransitionintotheArtsHubandofferspacesforcommunitycelebrationandquietreflection.ThedesignandplantselectionhonourthelayersofhistoryandlinkthegardentotheLoddonRiverandthehistorictownshipofNewstead.Providingrefugeandfeedingthesenses,thegardenwillnurtureartistsandthearts.Ever-evolving,wildlifefriendlyandresilient,itwillbeajoyforall.

Theoveralldesignhasfourdistinctzones,lendingitselftostagingofconstructionasfundingbecomesavailable.Thesebroadzonesare:1)Welcomeentryandtransitiontoanartsspace;2)Grassyswardsandindigenouscrops;3)Communitycelebrationandshadyrefuge;and4)FirecircleandIronbarkstand.Thedesignconceptforeachofthesezonesisdetailedbelow.

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Welcoming entry and easing a transition

� Themainentranceissignifiedbyawelcomingoverheadsign(inrustedsteel).Plantingsalongthefrontboundarywillcreatealowscreenanddirectvisitorstowardsentrypoints.

� Photo1:InspirationfromTaradalesign(notthefence)

� Themainentryisoffsetfromthefrontdoortoslowpeopleastheyapproachthehub.

� Themain entrywill approach a vibrant garden of dry tolerant perennials providinginterestinallseasons.Thisplantingisrepeatedinthegardenbedatthefrontofthedisabledparkingbay.

� Besidethemainentrypatha‘Wellspring’sculpture/water-featurewillbeinstalled.TheWellspringwillbedesignedandcreatedbyalocalartist.

� Symbolicandstriking‘Middengardens’besidebothentrypointswillbeareminderoftraditionalownersandtheoriginallandscape.Themiddenswillhaveashellgritsurface(fromsalvaged,crushedoystershells)and~5vertical,blackened,naturaltimberpoleswill be positioned in eachmidden garden. These poleswill stand like awelcomingcommunityattheentrygateandprovideasymbolicacknowledgementoffire,historyand landscape change. Poles will be made from smoothed and charredbranches/trunks. Indigenous succulent ground covers, such as Inland Pigface andprostrateRubySaltbush,willsoftentheshellandposts.Theverticalpostscontrastwiththemanyhorizontalsoftheoverallgardendesignandrepeattheformsoftheironbarkstandonthenorth-westside.

� ADryriverbedwillwindacrossthefrontoftheArtsHubandcreateasymboliclinktotheLoddonRiver.TheriverbedwillstartattheWellspringandendataRiverRedGum.

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Surroundinghardsurfaceswillslopetowardstheriverbedtofeedwaterintoitduringrainfall events. Overflow will be directed to storm water. The shallow bed will beplantedwithgreen,perennialtussockstocreateavivid,greenband.Loosestonesofwarmcolouredslatewilledgetheriverbed.Wheretheriverbedcrossespathwaysitwillbepaved in thesamemanneras thepath,but theslatecolourof theriverwillcontrastwiththedarkslatepavingofthepathways.Wheretherivercrossestheparkingareaitwillbepavedwithasolid,load-bearingmortarbase.ThesweepingshapeoftheriverwillcreatecontinuityandmovementacrosstheNRAHlandscape.

Grassy Swards and indigenous crops

� DjadjaWarrungandtheoriginallandscapewillbehonouredbycurvedgrassyswardsof indigenousgrainsandtubercrops(KangarooGrass,Weepinggrass,NativeMillet,Yamdaisy,ChocolateLily,BulbineLily,NativeFlax).Thesebeautifulswardswillcreatean experimental learning space, to develop local knowledge about attributes ofdifferent crop varieties and harvest practices. It is hoped these swards will bedevelopedasaprojectwithinvolvementoftheMyrnongMamas,AuntyJulie,DjadjaWarrungand interestedmembersof theNewsteadCommunity. The swardswill bedefinedbyalowedgingofcurvedCorten-Steel(witharustedfinish).

� � InspirationfromgrassyswardsatScampstonHall,Yorkshire(ImagefromKingsburyandOudolf,2013)

Community lawn and shady refuge

AsimplegroveofappletreeswillshadeaCommunitylawn,wheretablesandchairscanbearrangedduringcommunityevents.TheapplegroveisanodtothelastremainingtreesfromtheStationmastersgarden.Cuttingshavebeentakenfromtheoldapplethatisdyingandwillhavetoberemoved.Thesecuttings,alongwithseveralvarietiesofapplethatgrowsuccessfullyinthegoldfieldsregion,willcreateashady,beautifulcommunityspace.Apples

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havebeenchosenforthisgroveastheyaredeciduous,theylookfestiveandtheyarewelladaptedtothegoldfieldsclimate.Appleswillrequiresomesupplementarywatering.

� Thecommunitylawnwillbescreenedfromtheroadbyrusted,laser-cutsteelsheets,positionedbetweentheexistingpostsofrail.Thescreenscaneitherbemadefromrecycledsheets(fromBallaratscreens)orcutwithadesign,suchasthecurvinglinesoftheLoddonRiver(copiedfromasatelliteimage).

� � Rustedscreens,laser-cutwithamotif(Imagefromhttps://i.pinimg.com)

CurvinglinesoftheLoddoncouldformamotifforlaser-cutscreens(ImagefromGoogleEarth)

� AlongpergolaofChineseWisteriawillshadethepathway,whereitrunsthroughtheApplegrove.Thepergolawillprovideashelteredplaceforpeoplerestrictedtopavedsurfaces.ChineseWisteria(Wisteriasinensis)ischosentohonourthe3,000ChineseDiggerswholivedandworkedinNewsteadduringthegoldrush,andtiesintothecharming,flowergardensoftheNewsteadtownship.

� AformalherbgardenbetweentheArtsHubandtheLamproomwillreplacethedyingappletreeandwillacknowledgetheformalgardensoftheVictorianerawhenthestationwasbuilt.ThisherbgardenwillsupplementcateringatArtsHubeventssowillneedtobeisolatedfromthepotentiallycontaminatedsoilsoftherailwaystationbywickingbeds.

Fireside stories among the Ironbarks

� Afirepit,surroundedbythreecurvedwall-seats(atotalof30minlength)willbetheepicentreforwintergatheringsatthehub.Thewall-seatswillbemadefrompouredconcrete,seededwithquartzaggregate,likethewallsofthenearbybutterfactory.

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TheonlyplantinginthiszonewillbetwostandsofIronbark(Eucalyptustricarpa).Thedark,verticaltrunkswillprovideastrikingeffectandthesimplicityofthisplantingisintendedtoensureeasymanagementandtomaintainthefeelingofarurallandscape.

� � WallsofthelocalButterFactory,madewithpouredconcreteandseededwithpebblefromtheLoddon

River.

Community Cuttings

� SeveralsmallgardenbedsneartheherbgardenwilldisplayanassortmentofflowersfromthegardensofthelocalNewsteadcommunity,providingalinkbetweenthecommunityandthehubgarden.

Wildlife habitat

� ShrubsofSweetBursariaandTreeVioletwillbeplantedalongthenorth-easternandsouth-westernboundariesofthesitetoprovidehabitatforlocalbushbirds.Tussocks,stonesandashallowdepressioninthedryriverbedwillprovidearefugeforfrogsandlizards.Thegrassyswardswithindigenouslilieswillprovidefoodandhabitatforbutterfliesandtheirlarvae.Perennialflowersattheentrywillprovidenectarandpollenforinsectpollinators.AstandofIronbarks,dwarfYellowGumsandaRiverRedGumwillprovidefoodandhabitattohostarangeofnativewildlife.

Nurturing artists and the arts

� Thegardendesignwillencourageexplorationandwalking;providingopportunitiesforartists to engage with art, nature, history and culture as well as spaces for quietconversationandcommunitycelebrationofartisticachievements.

� Thisgardenisdesignedtosupportexhibitionsofpermanentandtemporaryartworks.The open gravel area between the front entrance of theHub and Tivey Street is aversatile,inspiringspacefordisplayoftemporarysculpture,asarethegrassyswards.Thereare3-4placesidentifiedforpermanentsculptures:theeasternendofthestonepavement,thewesternarmoftheplatform,theeasternendofthefrontentrypath

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(thatrunsparalleltotheroad)andtheWellspring.ThecharredpolesintheMiddengardenshavepotentialtoattachtothemplayfulobjetd’art.

� Quietspacesareprovidedforreflectionduringartshubevents.Theseincluderusticbench seating on a raised plinth under the old peppercorn tree (provided lowerbranchesareprunedtoasuitableheightandtheCotoneasterisremoved),andatthebackoftheLampRoom,besidetheapplegrove.Thewall-seatingintheIronbarkstandwillbeaninvitingplacetositandchataswillthestumpseatsundertheRiverRedGum.

Parking

� 90°parkingwillextendalongthesouthernsideofTiveyStreet,withfixedrailwaysleepersidentifyingeachparkingbayandprotectingpedestriansfromtraffic.

� 2disabledparksclosetofrontentryofbuildingcanalsobeusedforbumpingofshows.

Pathways

� Darkgreyslaterandomstonepavingonasandandmortarbase,willprovideasolid,stablesurfacewithallabilityaccess.Theslatecolourtiestotheslateroofingontheoldwoodhouse.

Exampleofrandom,greyslatepaving.

Water and maintenance

� Overallthegardenwillbelowwater-use,withplantschosenforbeingadaptedtolocalconditions.But,severalareaswillrequireregularwateringduringhotanddryperiodstoensurespectacularfloweringandashadygreenrefuge.Thesearetheperennialflowerbeds,theappletrees,theformalherbgarden,thegrassyswardsandthecommunitycuttingsbeds.

� Mostofthegardenwillbemaintainablethroughfourcommunityworkingbeesayearplusregularlawnmaintenancebycommunityservicegroups.However,occasionallysomeextracaremaybeneededfortheperennialflowerbeds,thegrassyswards,thecommunitycuttingsbedsandtheherbgarden.Hopefully,interestedmembersofthecommunitywillstepforwardtobeinvolvedinthesedistinctivepartsofthegarden.