simhanada Posted June 5, 2013 (edited) Fuck me, I might cry. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vandals-take-axe-to-botanic-gardens-20130605-2nq2j.html#ixzz2VKICHG2x Vandals take axe to Botanic Gardens Vandals, wielding a machete or an axe, have "cruelly destroyed" a decades-old section of Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Staff were devastated when they arrived at work on Wednesday to find almost all of the plants in the Arid Garden had been ravaged. Some of specimens of cacti and succulents that were destroyed are rarely found in the wild, the gardens’ chief executive Tim Entwisle. It is believed the attack on the attraction, which contained plants up to 30 years old, happened sometime on Tuesday night. Dr Entwisle said the destruction broke a respect and trust developed over centuries between the general community and public gardens. Advertisement He said he believed it was a planned attack, involving a machete or an axe. "It's very hard to tell why the did it," Dr Entwisle said. "I can't understand why someone would do this to the garden. It's the kind of thing I have never seen in a botanical garden before. "Occasionally you get small bits of damage or plants or a flower is taken, but not wilful vandalism to this extent." There is no CCTV footage of the attack. Police are investigating. Dr Entwisle said the vandalism had distressed the garden’s curators, who he said knew the plants individually. "The plants are like children," he said. About 80 per cent of the cacti and succulents, the majority of which are from South America and Africa, were destroyed. Dr Entwisle said: "the one silver lining here is for most of these we we will be able to get something grown back from a cutting or the bits that they have broken off. "But you have really lost a whole landscape and you have lost plants that have decades of growth, so you have gone back to scratch." The Arid Garden is located on the eastern side of the gardens near Guilfoyle's Volcano. It was developed in the late 1980s from the gardens' existing cacti and succulent plants, which were found to be in poor health, rotting and falling over. A restoration program began in the following years. It latest addition, according to the gardens' website, was a cistus rockery using succulent species and crushed stone from Yarra Valley Quarries, in 2001-02. The Arid Garden is now closed to the public while the damage is assessed. Dr Entwisle said. Edited June 5, 2013 by simhanada 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obtuse Posted June 5, 2013 fucking A##holes. So many of us know and love that part of the garden. I for one am devastated. Bring on some big fat Karma for whoever did this .... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyAmine. Posted June 5, 2013 Thats not on. not at all..I hope they brag to the wrong person. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simhanada Posted June 5, 2013 last SAB meet in Melb was just around the corner from it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poisonshroom Posted June 5, 2013 Horrible - something similar happened at anderson gardens in townsville last week or the week before (except they uprooted and stole a bunch of plants, rather than just hacking at them). I cant understand why anyone would do stuff like that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xenodimensional Posted June 5, 2013 That is beyond phukt. I say put them to death by way of rectal administration of columnar cactoids. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted June 5, 2013 i was already in a bad mood today. this is just shit. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LokStok Posted June 5, 2013 this makes me feel sick... most of us would relate to this "Dr Entwisle said the vandalism had distressed the garden’s curators, who he said knew the plants individually. "The plants are like children," he said." is there possibly any avenues that the community (us) could contribute to the rebuiding? (i'm thinking specifically members close enough with spares in their collections) 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whitewind Posted June 5, 2013 Good idea Lokstok rebuild the collection with donations! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pinion Posted June 5, 2013 Just cannot understand why people will do things like that. If karma exists, may it fuck them over (and as Xenodimensional said, this should be done with a cactus up the butt). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CβL Posted June 5, 2013 (edited) Why the fck would someone plan and execute an attack like this? Is it because they knew how angry everyone would get? What a shitty horrible thing to do. Edited June 5, 2013 by CβL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niggles Posted June 5, 2013 this makes me feel sick... most of us would relate to this "Dr Entwisle said the vandalism had distressed the garden’s curators, who he said knew the plants individually. "The plants are like children," he said." is there possibly any avenues that the community (us) could contribute to the rebuiding? (i'm thinking specifically members close enough with spares in their collections) I dont believe they are particularly open to donations, they are pretty fussy about species and whatnot, need to be able to prove your genetics. Also they mention in the article that nothing appears to be taken so they have plenty of cuttings, its just the big beautiful landscape is ruined. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
etherealdrifter Posted June 5, 2013 Unbelievable The melb crew have been having their garden meets at the foot of Guilfoyle's volvano for years. It is hard to fathom why someone would want or feel the need to do such a thing. Knowing that space intimately really makes this hit home hard. We know that space quite intimately. It's like some sic cunt is playing a deformed game with us. It's like you admire your garden for years, watching things grow and then some angrything does this. This really! wtf! If someone attacked my babies(the keeepers know each plant intimately) i only wish the cactii could exercise their right to bare arms and attack back Guilfoye's dream will grow back but geez this makes me feel so freakin angry how within a few minutes of madness, someone/or some persons have damaged such pretty old specimens. 'If' there is a D assigned to this crime and they want some action, i'd be knocking on all the wealthy home owners that are dotted along Anderson Street to the east, and asking them for the footage from all their countless cameras and motion detectors that are in plain view from that side of the road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bℓσωηG Posted June 5, 2013 this was obviously another false flag staged attack! ...just kidding , what a truly despicable act , i can understand thieves taking a wee cutting or two, but mutilating cacti with an axe? These people need to be found and their mental illness treated. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
~shameless~ Posted June 5, 2013 Sometimes I really think there's alot wrong with the world They did it because it wasn't important to them and the consequences are of little concern, I hope they are found so they can taught some respect and made responsible for their actions, once found I bet they will blame alcohol induced stupidity as the reason for the vandalism Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazonian Posted June 5, 2013 The perps probably filmed it... you know, to show off ?!... Bragging = Busted. They'll get theirs, whether its the Law, nature, karma or what ever... it will come. You do have to wonder why though. Maybe they just took heaps of cactus cuts, and the media are wording it differently so its not seen as a botanical gardens possess an illegal drug, and it would also be advertising sacred plants that the garden grow...opens the door to more cuts being taken in the future. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
George Simian Posted June 6, 2013 Totally despicable We should set up a patrol around the area with fat bridgesii Nightsticks 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bridgesoid Posted June 6, 2013 Tragedy! I hope karma strikes them down quick smart. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lucid1 Posted June 6, 2013 This is absolutely terrible.......I have heard and seen of the odd bit of damage from disrespectful people, and small plant thefts but nothing like this....... karma will come back Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karode13 Posted June 6, 2013 I was quite lost for words when I read this yesterday morn. Being very familiar with this section of the gardens, and then hearing of this happening, has deposited a cold, bitter stone in the bottom of my heart. Harumph! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whitewind Posted June 6, 2013 (edited) Was lost for words too it seeme quite bizarre and premeditated. Are there any pics of the damage done? Edited June 6, 2013 by whitewind Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simhanada Posted June 6, 2013 Was lost for words too it seeme quite bizarre and premeditated. Are there any pics of the damage done? If you follow the link to the article there is one picture. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted June 6, 2013 well looking at that picture quite a lot of bulk is left so they may be able to re-establish it quickly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites