Several readers have contacted The Standard with concerns about long grass and weeds in the once park-like post-war gardens.

The factory closed in 2005 and its entire Warrnambool site was heritage listed the next year.

Its owner, The Mill Markets operator Ian Ballis, yesterday insisted the gardens were still a priority despite their neglected appearance.

Mr Ballis said he was away from Warrnambool and would inspect the site next week.

Meanwhile, tourists continue to stop by the unkempt gardens to see the historical company’s former production base, according to an embarrassed nearby resident.

“I walk past it every day and lots of people are making comments about it,” she said.

“It’s becoming a rundown disgrace. It’s such an iconic place there.

“It used to have quite an army of gardeners and it was coming back to its former glory, but now it’s just a mess.

“You wouldn’t have thought these were worldwide iconic gardens the way they are now.”

A Heritage Victoria spokesperson said even if the gardens were considered an eyesore, the owner was not necessarily obliged to conduct a higher level of maintenance.

“We encourage owners to take care of heritage property, but we don’t have the ability to enforce what people might think is a pretty garden,” they said.

“We’re keeping an eye on the safety and integrity of the property.

“We can’t require a level of daily maintenance but if it was considered it was becoming a risk, as it has in the past, we would serve a notice.”

In 2009 Mr Ballis was ordered to pay $60,000 towards repairing structures at the Fletcher Jones site, including its iconic water tower.

Heritage Victoria also accused him of trimming and removing a number of trees at the site without a permit between December 2007 and March 2008.

However, it is not only the gardens drawing attention from the community.

Warrnambool Planning and Heritage president Julie Eagles said the group had concerns over the entire site’s maintenance.

“The last time I walked through there I saw broken windows and it looked run-down and uncared for,” Ms Eagles said.

“The group has been concerned about the site, particularly the silver ball and how it will be maintained since the stairs were removed.

“We think the site is of value because of its history, so it would be good to have a conversation about how it’s looked after.

“There’s the question of how to look after heritage that’s in private hands.”