Anderson Park, Neutral Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anderson Park |
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Anderson Park path lined with weeping figs
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| Location | Neutral Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Area | Neutral Bay |
| Created | 8 October 1899 |
| Status | Public |
Anderson Park is a popular public park in Neutral Bay, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It sits right on the edge of Sydney Harbour, which is a large natural harbor. The suburb of Neutral Bay is actually named after this very bay!
This park was created on land that was "reclaimed" from the bay in the 1890s. This means that land was added to the shore, pushing the water back to make space for the park. It officially opened on 8 October 1899. The park was first called Warringa Park. However, in 1926, it was renamed to honor William Anderson. He was the Mayor of the local government area of North Sydney from 1914 to 1918.
Anderson Park has many features for everyone to enjoy. There's a sports field with lights, so games can be played even at night. You can play cricket, different kinds of football, volleyball, and more. The park also has nice pathways for walking, old sandstone paving, and a small beach. The main path is lined with beautiful Hill's weeping fig trees.
Exciting Moments at Anderson Park
Anderson Park has been the site of some truly amazing events! One of the most famous happened on 17 July 1934. Thousands of people gathered there to watch a special take-off.
A Famous Flight Takes Off
The famous Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith and Captain Patrick Gordon Taylor were the pilots. They were flying a single-engine plane called the Lockheed Altair. This flight was meant to promote something, like an advertisement in the sky.
Originally, they wanted to take off from the middle of Macquarie Street in Sydney. But the local council said no. So, they found a new plan! They moved their airplane by a large boat called a barge to Neutral Bay.
The Plane's Special Name
The Lockheed Altair had just arrived from America. It had been shipped on the deck of a ship called the SS Monterey. When it arrived, the word "ANZAC" was painted on its side. However, Australian law did not allow this word to be used for commercial reasons. So, they had to quickly cover it with brown paper. The airplane was then renamed the Lady Southern Cross before its big flight.
