Heide Sculpture Park and Gardens

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Posted 2015-05-02 by Carmen Bethany ⇒ follow

Autumn is a lovely time to visit Heide. The air is crisp and the deciduous trees look beautiful against the bushland setting. It is a wonderful place for family or for individual reflection.

Walking towards the main gallery Heide III, constructed in 1993, the autumn colours of the trees, the imposing Inge King sculpture 'Rings of Saturn', and the starkness of the gallery frontage, creates a memorable image.

The name 'Heide' was the pet name given to the 15 acre property acquired by John and Sunday Reed in 1934. The couple made a lasting and important contribution to Australian art and culture by supporting artists like Sidney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, John Percevel, Danila Vassilieff, as well as a circle of writers, and intellectuals.

In the mid 1950's the couple established the Gallery of Contemporary Art which was relaunched as the Museum of Modern Art of Australia in 1958. It was their original farmhouse (Heide I) which housed their growing collection of contemporary art and where the artists also lived and worked.

I walked through Heide I which is now a modern gallery space that showcases some interesting contemporary pieces, but I was more intrigued by the beautiful library at the front of the house which is being restored to it's original condition, and which houses their collection of books.

Walking through the gardens of the original farmhouse was a lovely experience. Just outside the house is an enormous Oak tree that was planted by John Reed in 1935.

There were charming walkways and gates with climbers and vines, lavender borders, and bulbs just starting to sprout.

There is also the famous kitchen garden which Sunday established in 1936. She cultivated fresh produce which is a tradition that continues today, with produce being used in the Heide Garden Menu at Café Vue at Heide.