By Emma Xerri
25 Emerald locals and visitors took to the Nobelius Heritage Park on Sunday 5 May to bask in the autumn sunlight and enjoy a guided walking tour offered by the Emerald Museum.
Running as part of this year’s National Trust of Australia Australian Heritage Festival, the walking tour embodied the 2024 theme of connections, fostering a greater awareness of the rich cultural history of the park, and developing a greater appreciation for the way in which proprietor Carl Axel Nobelius developed the former nursery into the largest fruit and ornamental tree exporter in the southern hemisphere.
“It was very successful,” Emerald Museum Committee President and great granddaughter of Carl Axel Nobelius, Pauline Murphy said.
“We were very lucky with the weather because it was a magnificent day, and the park is looking its best because it’s autumn.
“The kids who came thoroughly enjoyed picking up the leaves and carrying them around.
“And we had 25 attendees on the walk, plus another 25 or so who visited the museum, so we would consider that a huge success.”
Graced with the unmatched historical knowledge of committee member Anne Carter, attendees had the opportunity to learn about the history of the nurseries, as well how the park was established.
“The Nobelius Heritage Park is essentially a memorial to these nurseries,” Anne said.
“We walked around the park and looked at the many significant trees and historical buildings, including a rotunda that is a replica of one built in 1914. We also looked at the Nobelius Packing Shed, which was built in 1904, and the memorial of Carl Axel Nobelius.
“Everyone really enjoyed it.
“A lot of them had been to the park before but never understood what it was about, so the people found the history very interesting.
“And it’s the sort of park that looks magnificent in autumn on a gorgeous still, sunny day, with lovely ornamental trees, and leaves dancing in the sunlight.”
Attendees were also treated to a history lesson on Gus Ryberg, who “dedicated his retirement to promoting Emerald’s history,” and “campaigned for the establishment of the Nobelius Heritage Park.”
“The park is a remnant of the once enormous nurseries that were the biggest in the southern hemisphere in their day” Anne added.
“Gus planted trees to typify the range of trees that were sold by the nursery, and also to memorialise early Emerald industries like the eucalyptus oil industry, timber, flax and lavender oil.
“Emerald certainly punched above its weight then,” she laughed.
“For people who have already been to this park, or for locals, events like this help to increase their understanding of the park, because most people in Emerald probably don’t realise just how significant the Nobelius Nurseries were.
“But these events are also important for visitors to the park from Melbourne and other places to be introduced to the park and understand what it’s about.
“Because once you’re given an explanation of how the park was set up and what it’s meant to achieve, that increases your enjoyment of it.”
