Boy On The Turtle

The bronze sculpture of a child astride the back of a turtle located in the lower lake in the Fitzroy Gardens has led an eventful life. The sculpture was originally erected in the Carlton Gardens during the 1850's, and it stood on the corner of Victoria and Rathdowne Streets until 1937, when it was shifted to the Nicholson Street side before being moved again to its present resting place in the Fitzroy Gardens. In March, 1977, the sculpture was stolen from the Fitzroy Gardens - a remarkable feat considering the great weight of the bronze - but it was happily found by the Victorian Police, two and a half years later abandoned in a car park in Richmond.