brisbane city botanic gardens observation study
DESCRIPTION
This document was created for the purpose of assessment for BBus(Events) at Griffith University in 2010.TRANSCRIPT
Brisbane City Botanic Gardens Observation
Study
Acknowledgement of Country• Nathan; The Yugarabul,
Yuggera, Jagera and Turrbal peoples.
• Brisbane City; The Jagera and Turrbal peoples.
Observational Methods
• Observation Techniques (Veal, 2006)– Unstructured– Participant– Covert
• Observation Methods– Checklist & photography– Key dimensions of time, activity,
attitude, space– Social sciences chosen before
study – psychology & sociology
The City Botanic Gardens• Brisbane’s oldest park which used to
be a zoo with bears• Queensland’s first sugar cane crop • Experimental trees such as
jacarandas and macadamias. • Living museum of plant collections• One of the most important non-
Indigenous cultural landscapes • Natural and historic values
• Bike and rollerblade hire• Picnic areas and restaurant • Brisbane Riverstage • Tours twice daily (except
Sundays, public holidays, mid-Dec to mid-Jan)– 11.00am or 1.00pm at the
Rotunda opposite the Albert Street gates
The City Botanic Gardens
• The Botanic Gardens offer a range of diverse settings.
• It was designed to gain the attraction of the Brisbane community.
• With the park portraying many features including
• Areas, walking and biking tracks, well designed undercover areas for functions, undercover picnic areas for families to enjoy.
The City Botanic Gardens
The City Botanic Gardens• The settings include a wide range of
features for people to use. • Specific types of people that attend the
setting include families, tourists, couples, the individual and groups of people.
• As a group we were to determine whether there were any specific types of people attending the setting.
• And if they were using the facilities for the purposes of what they are designed for.
• Mostly men present at the time • Group using the space of one of the open
fields. • University students from QUT using the
setting to relax • Tourists looking at all the attractions. • Once observations made clear that there is no
specific type of person or group. • The setting used in the way that it has been
designed.
Motivation
What motivated people to use the Botanical Gardens for leisure activities are the need for:
• Escape from perceived mundane environments• Rest and relaxation• Sunlight• Regressive behaviour• Self-evaluation• Self-esteem, prestige and confidence• Social interactions• Spend time with relatives and friends• Indulge in nostalgia• Education and learn about the world
Motivation
• The need to escape from perceived mundane environments– Students– Singular people– Families– Joggers and walkers– Tourists
Motivation
• The need for rest and relaxation– Students– Singular people– Families– Joggers and walkers– Tourists
Motivation
• The need for sunlight– Students– Singular– Elderly tourists– Cyclists– Families– Joggers and walkers– Tourists
Motivation
• The need for regressive behaviour– Families– Adults and children
• The need for self-evaluation and the need for self esteem, prestige and confidence– Joggers and walkers– Singular people
Motivation
• The need for social interaction– Students– Elderly tourists– Cyclists– Families– Joggers and walkers– Tourists
Motivation
• The need to spend time with relatives and friends– Joggers and walkers– Families
• The need to indulge in nostalgia– Elderly people
• The need for education and learning about the world– Tourists
Design Features
• Botanic Gardens have been designed specifically for the use of patrons
• Certain requirements must be met in regards to:– Safety – Usability– Durability– Comfort of patrons
Activities Possible
• cycling• bird watching • skating• picnics• jogging/running• scenic walks• reading• birthday parties• weddings• quiet study• photo shoots
Specific Features• Lamps• Toilets• Taps and bubblers• Rubbish bins • Wide paths• Informative signs• Directional signs• Tables and
benches• Fencing around old
trees
Perspectives of Analysis
• Psychological– Human beings
as individuals– Individual
experience and make-up shape individual
• Sociological– Human beings as
group members– Social discourses
shape individual– Link between City
Botanic Gardens’ place in society and relevance to lifestyles
Psychological Perspective• Motivations for tourism (Leiper, 2004)
– Escape the mundane– Rest and relaxation– Sunlight and nature– Regression and nostalgia
• Intrinsic/extrinsic reasoning• Flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975,
1990)– Balance between work and relaxation– Activities cannot cause too much anxiety
or boredom• Study, work or playing sport in the park
Sociological Perspective
• Social inequality study (McKay, 1990)– Leisure for all, but used by higher socio-
economic• Botanic Gardens in city reflects this
– Leisure “neither transcend nor create social inequalities but, rather, reproduce them.”
• Gender differences– Safety
• Only solo females were closer to QUT
– Masculinity
Sociological Perspective
• Serious vs. casual leisure (Stebbins, 1997)– Time, intensity and effort
differences
• Increased need for nearby natural leisure spaces– Working more hours– Ageing population– Need to keep citizens active
In Closing
• The Botanic Gardens is a popular and excellent leisure environment
• Variety of people participating in leisure at the Botanic Gardens
• Vast motivations and behaviours• Indicative of both psychological
and sociological reasons.