The founders of St Kilda had great foresight.   The area was settled by Europeans in about 1840 , although the Kulin people lived in Euroe Yroke (the ancient indigenous name) for many thousands of years.  In the mid 1850s, when St Kilda was a relatively distant 4 miles from the fledgling city of Melbourne, civic leaders set aside 16 acres to the east of the village for a park, which was laid and planted over the next couple of years. It opened in 1861. More than 150 years on, the now St Kilda Botanical Gardens are a priceless community space.  On a nice day (and Melbourne has its share, despite what Sydneysiders say), it’s teeming with people.  Mums and dads and bubs and kids in … [Read more...]