Restoring Williamstown Botanic Gardens gates

Published on 27 May 2025

Important conservation work has begun on two public art installations at Williamstown Botanic Gardens.

The two sets of gates – The Gates of Ceremony on Osborne Street and The Gates of Earthly Delights on Giffard Street – are receiving work to remove rust and restore them to their prime.

The gates were installed in 2011 after artists Anuradha Patel and Velislav Georgiev were commissioned to produce gates that celebrated aspects of the gardens beyond them.

“The Gates of Ceremony are inspired by the majestic trees within the garden. The trunks are strong and upright, aspiring to the sky. They are also deemed architectural due to their scale, elegance and interaction with surrounding period architecture,” the artists said.

The Gates of Earthly Delights, a slightly smaller gate, explore the more intimate and hidden aspects of the gardens, echoing not only the sinuous vines and roots forms within the undergrowth but also the ebbs and flows of the nearby ocean.

This year marks the 165th anniversary of the Williamstown Botanic Gardens. 

The gates are expected to be fully restored by 12 June.