Wardian Case

At first glance it would be hard to guess that this humble wooden box was rare and important. In fact this seemingly simple structure, known as a Wardian Case, transformed landscapes. Amazingly, this is the only known example in Australia. What is a Wardian Case? It is a wooden and glass structure used to transport plants around the globe. It is named after its inventor Nathanial Ward, an English doctor and plant lover, who in 1829 discovered by accident that plants could survive and grow when fully enclosed in a glass structure. The transportation of plants on ships required the structure to be more sturdy than glass, so wood was used for the main body of the case and glass for roof sections. The sealed case created its own microclimate enabling plants to not only survive the sea journey, but thrive. Exotic plants of all sizes were brought to Australia and Australian native plants were sent from Australia to botanists and nurseries around the world. This Wardian Case was used by the Hamel Nursery, which was a State-run nursery which opened in Hamel, near Waroona, in 1897 and continued until the 1960s. The Hamel Nursery provided trees for Kings Park, pine plantations around Perth and plants for all government developments. After the Hamel Nursery closed, this special piece of history was repurposed as a dog kennel. Fortunately a local resident was aware of its significance, and in 2014 it came into the Historical Museum’s Collection. There are only a small number of Wardian Cases known to still exist, and these are in Europe, with six, for instance, at The Royal Botanic Gardens,Kew, in England.

Available at:

Waroona Museum

The Waroona Museum occupies the old Roads Board Building for the Drakesbrook District, as Waroona was known prior to 1946. This smart wooden building on the South West Highway was built in 1932. The...

Address:

Cnr Millar Street and South West Highway
Waroona WA 6215
Australia

Open Hours

Sun 10am - 12pm; or by calling 0417 705 966. Subject to volunteer availability. Phone prior to your visit if you are coming from a distance.

More from the Waroona Museum

The ruins of the old lime kilns at Lake Clifton are a reminder of an important aspect of Western Australia’s history. Cement was essential for construction, and the challenge was to find local...

School children on excursions to the Nestle factory would be told “make sure you take this home to your mother’ when they were given a sample tin of condensed milk. It is unlikely that many of those...

While you're in the area

Filter
Edenvale Heritage Precinct
Attraction
Edenvale Heritage Precinct
The historic homestead of Edenvale in Pinjarra offers an enlightening...
Corner of George Street and Henry Street, Pinjarra, WA 6208
Lake Clifton Thrombolites
Attraction
Lake Clifton Thrombolites
Somethings clearly get better with age! Located at Yalgorup National Park...
Mount John Road, Herron, WA 6211
Heritage Rose Garden
Attraction
Heritage Rose Garden
The Heritage Rose Garden is home to 300 different heritage roses, and over...
1 Henry Street, Pinjarra, WA 6208
Yalgorup National Park
Attraction
Yalgorup National Park
Enjoy bushwalking trails, birdwatching and camping at Yalgorup National...
Preston Beach Road, Preston Beach, WA 6215