Fagan Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fagan Park |
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Fagan Park in May 2009
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| Type | Urban Park |
| Location | 38–48 Arcadia Road Galston, New South Wales |
| Area | 55 ha (140 acres) |
| Created | 1988 |
| Operated by | Hornsby Shire Council |
| Open | All year except Christmas Day |
| Website | Hornsby Shire Council |
Fagan Park is a beautiful park located at 38–48 Arcadia Road in Galston, New South Wales. Many people call it "the crown jewel" of parks in the Hornsby Shire area. This huge park covers 55 hectares, which is about the size of 100 football fields! It offers lots of fun activities for everyone.
The land where Fagan Park now stands used to be the home of the Fagan family. In 1980, Bruce Fagan and his sister, Ida, generously gave the land to the New South Wales State Government. The Hornsby Shire Council then became responsible for looking after the park. Fagan Park officially opened on 5 November 1988. The Premier of New South Wales, Nick Greiner, helped open it.
Contents
The Story of Fagan Park
The Fagan Family's Journey
The Fagan family's story in Australia began with William Fagan. He was a free settler who came from Derry, Ireland, in 1848. William later married Ann Waddell. They had seven children together: three sons and four daughters.
After they got married, the Fagans bought 70 acres of land in Arcadia, New South Wales. Here, they started a very successful citrus orchard. They were among the first to grow citrus fruits in areas like Dural, Galston, and Arcadia, which are on the north-western edge of Sydney.
Two of William and Ann's sons, William and Samuel, worked in the family business. Later, they started their own orchard in Dural. In 1900, Samuel and his wife bought land in Galston. They built a house called 'Netherby' using bricks they made themselves! This property became the biggest orchard in Galston and had many workers.
From Orchard to Dairy Farm
By the early 1930s, a tough time called the Great Depression arrived. Because of this, Samuel Fagan had to close down his orchards. Bruce Fagan, who was the youngest child in the family, then started a new business on the property. He raised Jersey dairy cattle. He even built a special dairy building. Bruce became famous for his cattle breeding program.
In 1980, Bruce Fagan and his sister, Ida, decided to donate their family property, "Fagan Park," to the government. The Hornsby Shire Council was chosen to manage the park. Before Bruce passed away in 1984, he helped plan how the park would be developed.
A Special Bicentennial Project
Australia celebrated its Bicentenary in 1988. This marked 200 years since the First Fleet of British ships arrived in Sydney in 1788. Many events and celebrations happened across the country.
Fagan Park was chosen as Hornsby Shire Council's special project for this big celebration. The Council received money from the government to help create the "Garden of Many Nations." This amazing garden now covers 10 hectares of the park. It features plants from all over the world! You can see plants from North America, South America, Great Britain, Africa, Asia, and the Netherlands.
The original family home, 'Netherby', was also restored for the bicentennial year. So were the old milking complex and packing shed. 'Netherby' is sometimes open for people to visit. The packing shed and milking complex are now a rural museum, showing what farm life was like long ago.
Fun Things to Do
Fagan Park is a great place for sports and recreation!
- The Galston Parkrun happens every Saturday morning at 8 am. It's a free, timed 5-kilometre run organized by volunteers.
- The Hornsby Electric Model Flying Club meets here to fly their cool model planes.
- The Friends of Fagan Park group meets regularly to help look after the park.
- The Fagan Park Eco Garden is a special project by the Council. It teaches people about gardening in an environmentally friendly way. They often hold workshops where you can learn new skills.
- Carr's Bush is an 8.5-hectare area of natural bushland inside the park. It has short walking trails where you can explore nature.
- The "Garden of Many Nations" is open for all visitors to enjoy. It's like taking a trip around the world through plants!
Park Facilities
Fagan Park has many facilities to make your visit comfortable and fun:
- There are plenty of picnic tables for you to enjoy a meal outdoors.
- You can also hire large picnic shelters. These can seat between 18 and 36 people, depending on their size.
- Barbecues are available for cooking.
- Kids will love the children's playgrounds.
- If you like exploring, there are bushwalking trails.
- The park also has sealed paths perfect for bicycle riding, walking, and running.
- Toilets are available for visitors.
