If you know me personally, I can be a bit of a monkey, all over the place but I also like things in order, symmetrical, a crooked picture will annoy me.

Matty: “Could you give me directions to the closest supermarket please?”

Hotel Concierge: “Sure, at the end of the street, it’s just a diagonal walk through City Park.”

Turns out it was quite a bit of a walk past the park, a couple more streets as a matter of fact! But what a great park to walk through. City Park, a small but beautiful, historic and interesting park situated on the city’s edge in Launceston, Tasmania.

Built in the 1820’s, as you wander through this park it will evoke thoughts of yesteryear. Ladies in their finest full length bell shaped round gowns, parasol in one hand, their husbands hand in the other, he dressed in coat tails tipping his hat as they pass acquaintances.

The Jubilee Fountain or ‘bubbler’ for us Aussies, is quite a historic piece. Finally unveiled in 1897 for Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the ornate cast iron fountain originally sat at the Tamar street entrance to the park – you may note the hexagonal lines in the concrete at the entrance to the park, shown in the picture above – Originally built for the Queens Golden Jubilee, it was not erected until the city could finally raise the £200 it cost some 10 years later.

The Bandstand is quite fun – imagine a full brass band entertaining the crowds – or a ’50’s band enticing the teenagers of the time to dance the jitterbug.

The conservatory held many a delicate plant that may not make it through the cooler Tasmania months and was set out quite lovely.

In amongst the maiden hair were a few water displays. This one a cheeky cherub taking a wee.

A long term resident to the park is the Japanese Macaque. They have been in the park since a troop of 10 arrived in 1980 as a gift from sister city Ikeda. The park had a long history of displaying animals since the 1800’s starting with the Tasmanian Tiger, the Thylacine.

Mostly all going about their preening business, the real fun was to be had with the stick one of the ‘teenagers’ had. This game had been going on long before we arrived and I say would have gone on longer than the lengthy time I stopped to watch their shenanigans!

The Dahlia garden was my absolute favourite part of the park. Dahlia’s have been a favourite of mine for years.

Their cylindrical symmetry makeup is just stunning – neat and orderly.

Native to Mexico, the Cactus Dahlia is probably the variety of Dahlia that reminds you of its home.

There are plenty of other flora to be seen and while a slightly longer walk to the supermarket, it was definitely worth it.

City park is relaxing, its Macaques fun and the dahlias beautiful – in fact I went back most days on my trip to Launceston.

Whats your favourite flower? Or your favourite park?