A new maze funded by a $900,000 gift from a former volunteer will soon give children a new reason to visit the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens.
The maze is the centrepiece of a major upgrade aimed at drawing more young people to the historic Hobart gardens.
It has been funded entirely by a bequest from a former garden volunteer, who has chosen to stay anonymous.
Around 400 cedar trees have been planted to form the maze, with planting now almost complete.
But families will have to be patient. The maze is not expected to open until Autumn 2028, giving the trees time to grow.
Parks Minister Nick Duigan said the gift would leave a lasting mark on the gardens.
“Planting this tree today is a powerful reminder of how one person’s generosity can grow into something that benefits the whole community,” Duigan said.
“This maze will become a place where children explore, where families connect and make memories.”
Tasmanian Gardens chair Daniel Easton said the donation was about more than a maze.
“They obviously donated $900,000, which wasn’t entirely associated with just a maze. It was about children engagement,” Easton said.
He said the gardens drew about 400,000 visitors a year, but had offered little for younger ones until now.
“They can come and watch plants, they grow, they can come to the vegetable garden, they can play around on the grass, but there hasn’t been anything that’s been directly focused at them,” he said.
“Parents will be very happy to let the kids run loose in a maze and get lost for a half hour or so.”
The maze has been designed to be tricky, with at least 12 or 13 false turns.
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens director Yann Gagnon said the design started with pen and paper.
He said the team drew inspiration from mazes in North America and the UK before settling on an Elizabethan style with one entry and one exit.
“It has to be easy, but also difficult and also engaging,” Gagnon said.
The maze will start at about two metres tall and may later reach 2.5 metres.
Gagnon said there would also be a hidden surprise for children to find.
“There will be a special feature within the maze that will branch off the maze for young kids to discover something else,” he said.
The donation is also funding an upgrade to the food garden and a new fuchsia house.
