Mount Lofty Botanic Garden’s creator commemorated at popular viewing platform

The Director responsible for establishing and developing Mount Lofty Botanic Garden, Noel Lothian, is today being commemorated with a plaque at one of the Garden’s most popular scenic spots.

The plaque was unveiled by Mr Lothian’s family at the newly named Noel Lothian Viewing Platform, which offers panoramic views over the lake, valley and arboretum, and is especially stunning in the autumn months.

Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium Director, Michael Harvey, says the plaque is in a highly frequented spot where visitors will be able to reflect on the vision and achievements of the past Director.

“We know that visitors enjoy coming to this picturesque part of the garden to take in the views, have a picnic or a rest after their walk. It is fitting that Noel Lothian should be remembered at this beautiful place,” Mr Harvey said.

Mr Lothian proposed and gained approval for the cool temperate garden, which opened to the public in 1977.

He oversaw the landscape design and planting, which provides an ecological approach by using each of Mount Lofty’s valleys to represent geographic regions of the world and leaves the ridges in their natural state.

The plaque’s relocation replaces a previous viewing platform dedicated to Mr Lothian, which opened in 1981 and which is now the site of water storage facilities used for providing water to the lake system and for bushfire response.

The Noel Lothian Viewing Platform and commemorative plaque can be found adjacent to the lower car park, accessed off Lampert and Piccadilly Roads in Crafers, at K17 on the visitor map.

The Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium acknowledges the Peramangk people as the traditional custodians of the land that is known as the Adelaide Hills.

We recognise their rich cultural heritage, spiritual beliefs and relationship with this land, which are of continuing importance to the Peramangk people living today. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.