A community celebration will be held on Sunday 14 July from 10am – 3pm to mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Queens Park. This day of celebration will feature live entertainment, kids’ activities, exhibits, active and static displays, an official tree planting ceremony as well as Open Day activities at the Ipswich Croquet Club, Ipswich Bowls Club and the Ipswich and District Junior Tennis Association. Group tours will also be conducted of the historic facilities within Queens Park, including the Ipswich Nature Centre, Burley Griffin Incinerator Theatre and the council’s glass greenhouse.
Queens Park was named after Queen Victoria and is officially recognised as Queensland’s oldest park. It was first surveyed in 1842 when Henry Wade set aside land to be used for recreational purposes. During the period of 1864 – 1870, Queens Park became home to 30 Camphor Laurel trees, 29 Date Palms, two Bottle trees, two Tallow Nut trees, eight Bunyas, one English Chestnut and 354 other native trees and shrubs. On March the 1st 1896, Alexander Munro was appointed the first curator of Queens Park, where he built the first glasshouse, and planted the majority of the large trees still residing in the park. Frederick Turley, Thomas Wall and George Palmer were also appointed the role as park curator during the years 1909 – 1961.
These days the park is home to formalised garden beds, the Japanese-style Nerima Gardens, the Ipswich Nature Centre, children’s play facilities, the Bush House, the Bush Chapel, several sporting clubs, a cafe and the Environmental Education Centre. It is also possible to explore Queens Park through a leisurely self guided audio tour .
So come along on the 14 July to enjoy a family friendly day in a lovely setting with other members of the community!
Information sourced from the Queensland Times, “Queens Park Celebration” – Souvenir Edition, October 9th, 1994.