SYDNEY INSIGHTS #15 - CENTENNIAL PARK

As a kid, this was the place for special family picnics where we would take all the stale bread from the fridge to feed the ducks in Centennial Park.

Well as you can see Centennial Park was opened in 1888 to commemorate 100 years of European settlement. 

The government began plans for a celebratory park in 1886 and passed an Act of Parliament in 1887. 

There were grand plans to have a museum and a national convention building there but this never eventuated. 

Centennial Park was dedicated by Sir Henry Parkes in January 1888 and he described it as 'emphatically the people's park'. 

 The Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun dedicated the park 'to the people of New South Wales forever'.

The land was originally set aside by Governor Lachlan Macquarie for grazing and watering stock. 

The ponds to the south, known as Lachlan Swamps, were named in his honour and were the chief water supply for Sydney from 1830 to 1880. Water was carried to Hyde Park along a tunnel called Busby's Bore, after its designer John Busby. The tunnel served the needs of Sydney until the Nepean scheme made it redundant in the 1880s.

Centennial Park has seen it's fair share of drama over the years but in 1851, it saw a good old fashioned a duel between the first Premier of New South Wales, Stuart Donaldson, and the Surveyor-General, Thomas Mitchell. Both men survived to fulfil their duties.

I think Politicians should continue to head down there and settle their differences this way. 

We'd certainly get a higher turn over. 

Within the park is the Federation Pavilion which encloses the Commonwealth Stone 1901, and its significance is that it is the site of the official ceremony to mark the Federation of Australia and the inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January 1901. Designed by Alexander Tzannes, it was erected around the 'Commonwealth Stone' as a permanent monument to Federation, in the Bicentennial Year of European Settlement in 1988. 

The building was renovated and plaques were added to celebrate the Centenary of the Federation of Australia on 1 January 2001.

The Commonwealth Stone is made of sandstone, and it is almost the only remnant of the original pavilion used by Lord Hopetoun as most of the structure rotted, being made of plaster of Paris. 

But this is what it's all about, big shady trees, winding ponds and waddling ducks and lots of grass to roll in. 

It is the perfect spot for a sunny winters day picnic, a spot of reading or a leisurely walk or run.

If you haven't been down there recently do yourself a favour and take your family there, it will be almost exactly as you remember it.

J G S

:-)