prime ministers memorial garden

The Prime Ministers Memorial Garden is 25 years old today. The story goes that Dame Pattie Menzies visited Melbourne General Cemetery in 1995 and didn't like what she saw just inside the main gates; somehow she conveyed this to Ron Walker, who, when Pattie died the following year saw the opportunity to turn a patch of otherwise under-utilised and ugly ground into something noble, commemorating some of the nation's leaders specifically those born in Victoria and the Prime Ministership itself as an institution.  

Thus, when you enter the PMMG now, on your immediate right is the anchor baby of the garden, containing the ashes of both Robert and Pattie. I always believed that story that no-one had ever bothered to pick the pompous old fool's (I mean Bob's) remains up from Springvale crematorium, so I'm glad that there's at least a pretence they're here, mingled with those of the woman who tolerated him for umpteen years (and it really did seem like umpteen I'm sure). 

Appropriately also across the way we find mention of another rogue who couldn't keep it in his pocket, but no body of course. This is a nice one for Holty though.

There's also one for the best of a bad bunch (ie Lib PMs), Gorton, which I think might even have a real body in it. There are actually no Labor PMs in the garden, though there is this tasteful plaque to Scullin who is buried elsewhere and we are 'welcome to visit' the site of his teeth and decayed pulp if we so wish it. 

At the east end is a little roman temple of PM names, so you get to namecheck your faves or rank them in order of sex appeal. 

I love Earle Page for his New Stateism and his stunningly punk rock style tenure as PM, a veritable 'Read About Seymour' of service (of course, he had no say in the matter really). I also love his middle names. Anyway they all get one of these, but this and Frank Forde's are the funniest. 

It's going to be a lo-o-ong time, I'm going to guess, before we fill this space. Maybe not even in my lifetime. But that's sad, I'd like to see the garden fill up with a few more corpses of Victorian PMs. Well we are living in strange times, maybe we have a bit of a ninepin/domino situation coming up.

Information re the origins of the PMMG from Sybil Nolan, 'A suitable place to remember Menzies', The Age 8 June 1996 p. 3 By the way Malcolm Fraser is hiding here too but I'm not sure where.