Sculpture in the Garden

In 2016, this biennial Acquisitive Sculpture Award commenced at Wollongong Botanic Garden. During your visit, check out the winners on permanent exhibition:

• King Coal by Louis Pratt (2016 Winner): located in our Flowering Trees and Shrubs collection
• Steel City by Michael Purdy (2018 Winner): located on the Duck Pond Lawn, near the Kawasaki Bridge
• Curious Dream of an Architect by Fatih Semiz (2021* Winner): located on the lawn in front of the Japanese Tea House

* The 2020 Sculpture in the Garden event was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

For more information, see the Sculpture in the Garden page.

The Mercury Fountain

Designed by Robert Woodward, the Mercury Fountain was inspired by Wollongong’s industrial and mining history, and the five islands off our coastline.

The Mercury Fountain started its life in the centre of Wollongong.  Presented to the city by The Illawarra Mercury to mark the newspaper’s 125th anniversary in 1980, the fountain was first installed in Rest Park, between Burelli and Crown Streets.

A short time later, Rest Park was flagged for removal to make way for Wollongong’s developing shopping area. In 1984, the fountain was relocated to its present site at the Botanic Garden.