Grafton, New Zealand: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:57, 4 April 2006

Revision as of 10:58, 4 April 2006

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One of the Governor-Generals of the late 19th century eyed up the Domain as the setting for the new Government house. He was displeased with both the existing house's style and its ___location. Although plans and elevations for a splendid victorian castle-style residence for him were drawn up the plan never got off the drawing board and the Auckland Domain remained completely and freely accessible to the public as it had always been intended.

A great many exotic specimen trees were donated and planted throughout the Domain by the late Victorians which have now matured into a splendid landscape park. They are now augmented by many New Zealand species. The CriketCricket Pavilion dates from the 1880s. Dotted around are many public artworks old and new. In 1913 the Domain was the site of the Auckland Industrial Exhibition, the financial return from this event resulted in many improvements, the chief one being the splendid Wintergardens next to the duckponds. The teahouse is also from the exhibition, it was built as the "ideal home" exhibition set piece and retained after the rest of the exhibition was dismantled.

Local businessman William Elliot donated several of the marble statues in the Wintergarden complex as well as the splenidid art deco entrance gates to the Domain from Park Road. The gates are surmounted by a bronze statue of a nude male athlete by the NZ sculptor Gross.