Thurston Garden

About Thurston Garden

Thurston Gardens are the botanical gardens of Fiji. They used to be known as the Suva Botanical Gardens but their name was changed in honor of the fifth Governor of Fiji, Sir John Bates Thurston, who was Governor from February 1888 to March 1897.

Thurston Gardens are built on the site of the original town of Suva which was burned in 1843 in one of the bloodiest fights in Fiji’s history. Many of the inhabitants were killed and eaten by the people of Rewa. The Clock Tower and bandstand were constructed in 1918 in memory of the first mayor of Suva.

Things are a bit different nowadays. People stroll through the gardens taking in the sea air, children play under the historical fig trees, couples picnic in the cooling shade while historians check out the Clock Tower and bandstand. All in all the gardens instill a therapeutic feeling of peace and tranquility.