Bowen Park

Linking the National Capital with Queensland

• Location
• Facilities
• History
• A Walter Burley Griffin influence
• Designed to emphasise the change in seasons
• A sheltered lakeshore park
• Reference
  

Location

Bowen Drive, Barton.

• A map showing Inner South Region with the location of Bowen Park marked.
• A map of Bowen Park.

Facilities

In 1986 a launching jetty was constructed for the Canberra Model Yacht Club, this part of the lake being very popular for model yachting. There are no public toilets.

History

Although created as part of the construction of Lake Burley Griffin in the 1960s, the origins of Bowen Park go back to beginning of the National Capital. The 5.9 hectare park enjoys a pleasant outlook to the north east over East Basin and its predominantly exotic deciduous landscape is colourful particularly in the spring when the crabapples are in flower. It is related to the State of Queensland in its naming. It has a strong attraction for pedestrians and cyclists from nearby residences in the Kingston and Manuka area and it is on the main path system accessing the Parliamentary triangle.

A Walter Burley Griffin influence

The origins of this park can be traced back to Walter Burley Griffin's 1918 plan for Canberra in which he planned a small 'Grevillea Place' terminating Brisbane Avenue, one of the ten avenues planned to radiate from the centre of Capital Hill. Most of the other state capital city avenues planned by Griffin were terminated similarly with a park named after the generic botanical name for a native plant from that particular state.

Griffin's name was lost however and the name of Bowen Place was adopted. Sir George Bowen was the first Governor of the new Colony of Queensland from 1859 to 1868 successfully organising the infant colony. The name also commemorates John Bowen (a Tasmanian pioneer) and Richard Bowen (an early sea captain). The name 'Bowen Park' was adopted in 1963 during the construction of Lake Burley Griffin, although the area of the park is much larger than the original Grevillea Place.

Designed to emphasise the change in seasons

Charles Weston, Canberra's first Superintendent, Parks and Gardens, carried out some planting in the area in 1922 as part of a program of lakeshore planting initiated by the Federal Capital Advisory Committee. Weston covered the entire slope (which he called Rottenbury Hill) facing east across the future east basin with planting, predominantly exotics, to an informal design.

With the completion of the lake shore in the 1960s, the exotic theme and informal design was continued using a range of species with emphasis on deciduous spring flowering species including Prunus sp, Malus sp, Pyrus sp and Crataegus sp. In the late 1980s there was a special planting of a cherry blossom tree in the area by the then Japanese Cherry Blossom Queen visiting Canberra.

Heavy planting has occurred on the western boundary of the park to provide a buffer from the vehicle traffic on Bowen Drive.

A sheltered lakeshore park

The park is popular for quiet enjoyment of the lake and the distant scenery. It is well used in the spring when the crabapples are in flower. Aquatic birds including swans and ducks can be an attraction.

Reference

Gray, J (1997) The Historical and Cultural Background of Selected Urban Parks in Canberra.