Central Business District in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania

The Flagstaff Gardens

— Royal Historical Society - Victoria —

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 20, 2026

1. The Flagstaff Gardens Marker

Inscription. Flagstaff Gardens, which are just to your right, are Melbourne's oldest gardens. They take their name from a flagstaff erected in 1840 at the settlement's highest point, in order to communicate between the harbour and town. This became known as "Flagstaff Hill". Before this, the area was used as a cemetery and was known as Burial Hill. (There is a memorial in the gardens that marks the graves of the first European settlers.)

Erected by Royal Historical Society - Victoria.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1840.

Location. 37° 48.646′ S, 144° 57.369′ E. Marker is in Melbourne, Victoria. It is in the Central Business District. It is on William Street 0.1 kilometers south of A'Beckett Street, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 362 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

in Australasia,

in the Pacific Ocean,

in South Pacific,

on the Pacific

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Rim,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Federal Coffee Palace (here, next to this marker); Exhibition Building - William Street (here, next to this marker); Melbourne (Bird's Eye View) 1882 (a few steps from this marker); First Princes Bridge, Melbourne (a few steps from this marker); Melbourne 1880 (a few steps from this marker); Panoramic View of Melbourne (a few steps from this marker); The Home of the Historical Society of Victoria (within shouting distance of this marker); Flagstaff Gardens - Mapping 170 Years of Change (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Melbourne.

Also see . . . Flagstaff Gardens. Victorian Heritage Database

Flagstaff Hill including the Flagstaff Gardens occupies an elevated position to the north west of Melbourne's CBD. Consisting of 7.7 hectares, it was originally called Burial Hill by the European settlers and was used as Melbourne's first burial ground in the 1830s.
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 20, 2026

2. The Flagstaff Gardens Marker along William Street
Later used as a signal station between 1840 and 1857, and then as a magnetic and meteorological observatory under Professor Georg von Neumayer between 1857 and 1862, the hill is a significant archaeological site. In 1862 the site was established as a public garden. Designed in an informal gardenesque style by the Deputy Surveyor General Clement Hodgkinson in1865, and later redesigned by John Guilfoyle in the 1890s, the garden contained numerous trees of scientific and aesthetic importance, many of which remain today. The current appearance of the gardens reflects changes made between the 1890s and the 1920s although the original pathways are still evident as are several of the original tree plantings. Although the character of the gardens has changed since the 1860s, the current appearance reflects a diverse cultural landscape that is rich in horticultural, historic and social meaning.

(Submitted on September 2, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 2, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.