Crawford House Museum and Garden

Louise Fulton showed club members around the museum garden in Alstonville. The Federation era house has had many changes over the decades. Some plants such as maiden hair and rabbit’s foot fern, teak and silky oak trees still survive from the original owners. Others such as camellias have been introduced as part of commemorative plantings such as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Louise spoke about her recent role as a volunteer gardener for the Alstonville Plateau Historical Society (APHS). They have leased Crawford House from Ballina Shire Council (BSC) since 2003. She first developed a landscape design and modest budget to be vetted by the APHS in 2021. She then prepared a Heritage Impact State and Development Application for BSC. They agreed to a paved area for seating, a two feature trees, an arbour and planting on the footpath verge. Louise then successfully applied for two government grants for the landscaping.

The plan is to transition to a low maintenance garden that features Federation era plants. The most recent garden bed under development is a Fernery. The original owner of the house was Ambrose Crawford who was known for his role in restoring Lumley Park rainforest remnant. His love of indigenous plants is reflected in the subtropical ferns and rainforest understory in the Fernery. Louise is now raising funds to proceed with the arbour.

Crawford House Museum is currently exhibiting the histories of local garden clubs and reafforestation groups on the Alstonville Plateau.

Crawford House Museum

10 Wardell Road Alstonville,

Open Fridays 10am to 4pm and Sundays 1pm to 4pm.