Richmond Park (New South Wales) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richmond Park |
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| Location | Bounded by East Market, Windsor and March Streets, Richmond, City of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia |
| Architect | Lachlan Macquarie and James Meehan (park); George Matcham Pitt jnr. (pavilion) |
| Owner | Hawkesbury City Council |
| Official name: Richmond Park; Market Place; Square | |
| Type | state heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 5 March 2010 |
| Reference no. | 1808 |
| Type | Urban Park |
| Category | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
| Builders | Samuel Boughton (Pavilion) |
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Richmond Park is a special public park and sports area in Richmond, Australia. It's listed as a heritage site, meaning it's important to history. Governor Lachlan Macquarie officially set aside this land in 1810. Later, in 1811, James Meehan surveyed it. The old pavilion building in the park was designed in 1882 by George Matcham Pitt Jr. and built by Samuel Boughton between 1883 and 1884. Today, Hawkesbury City Council owns the park. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 5, 2010, because of its historical value.
The Story of Richmond Park
Early Days and Floods
Long before Europeans arrived, the Dharug people lived in the Hawkesbury region. The Hawkesbury River area was a great source of food for them for over 50,000 years. Regular floods made the land very rich, providing plenty of food.
When European settlers came, they saw how good the land was for farming. They started growing lots of food for the new colony. But the river often flooded, causing big problems for farmers. Floods in 1799, 1800, 1806, and 1809 showed how risky farming near the river could be.
Governor Macquarie's Plan
In 1810, Lachlan Macquarie became the Governor of New South Wales. His first big job was to find five safe places along the Hawkesbury River. These places needed to be high enough to avoid floods. The goal was to build new towns there.
These new towns would help the colony grow more food. They would also offer a safe place for farmers and their animals. Governor Macquarie wanted to help the settlers become more self-sufficient.
Richmond: A New Town is Born
Governor Macquarie personally chose five towns: Windsor, Richmond, Castlereagh, Pitt Town, and Wilberforce. Richmond was the very first one he picked. It was officially set up in December 1810.
James Meehan, the government surveyor, mapped out Richmond on January 10, 1811. In the middle of the new town, Macquarie set aside a large area. This 10-acre (4-hectare) space was called "the great square." It was meant to be a central marketplace and a place for community activities. Today, this is Richmond Park.
From Market to Park
The "Market Place" was first laid out in 1811. But after 1821, its size was made smaller. A part of the land was used for other important buildings. These included a watch house, a court house, and a post office.
Even though it was smaller, the market place was used for buying and selling goods in the 1820s and 1830s. By the 1840s, most of the trees were gone. The area then started to be used more for sports and fun activities. People especially liked playing cricket and athletics there.
Improving the Park
By the 1840s, most of the native trees in the park were cleared. The ground became bumpy and muddy after rain. It was also full of tree stumps and weeds. Until 1864, cows and horses would graze freely, making the park even worse. The few original trees slowly disappeared. New trees and plants were added over the years.
In 1864, the Richmond railway line connected Richmond to Sydney. This brought more money and interest in improving the town. A group called the Improvement Committee was formed. They worked to make the park look better. With help from the community, they leveled the ground and planted new trees. They also added wooden seats for visitors.
In 1868, the area was officially set aside for public fun. Around this time, it became known as Richmond Park.
Council Takes Over
In 1872, Richmond became a borough, a type of town government. In 1873, the new Richmond Municipal Council became responsible for the park. This led to more organized improvements.
Local community members were chosen to look after the park. They asked Charles Moore, the director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, for suitable trees. They wanted both local and foreign trees to plant around the park's edges.
The Botanic Gardens sent many different kinds of trees. These included trees from Britain and Europe, like poplars and pines. They also sent Australian rainforest trees, like hoop pines and silky oaks. Some of these old trees, like the African olive and river oaks, still stand today. They help show the park's long history.
A Designed Landscape
By the 1880s, the Council started a more detailed design for the park. It was divided into three main parts:
- Outer Park: The trees planted around the edges.
- Inner Park: Flower beds, shrubs, seats, and paths.
- Central Area: A large grassy oval for sports.
This design was typical of the "Gardenesque Style" popular back then. It had a formal look with fenced planting beds and clear paths. This created a layered effect, with the sports oval in the middle, surrounded by gardens and then the outer trees. The park became well-known for its beauty.
The Pavilion and Sports
In 1882, the park needed a permanent building. So, they decided to build a pavilion overlooking the sports field. They held a competition for architects to design it. The winning design, called "Energy," was by George Matcham Pitt junior. Samuel Boughton built it, and it was finished in early 1884.
This pavilion has been a key feature of the park ever since. Even though it was badly damaged by fire in 1980, it was restored and still looks like a historic 19th-century building.
The cricket ground also got improvements. In 1882, a fence was put around the oval and a concrete cricket pitch was laid. The Richmond Cricket Club asked for these changes. Cricket became very popular, with local and even visiting English teams playing there.
The park was also used for football, but cricket remained the main sport. The concrete pitch was covered with turf in winter for football and uncovered in spring and summer for cricket.
Water Fountain and More Trees
In 1892, the Richmond Waterworks opened. To celebrate, the Council put in a water fountain. It was a three-tiered iron fountain with statues of winged cherubs. The cherub statues have since been stolen, but the fountain is still there. It's now dry and surrounded by a garden.
More trees were planted in the early 1900s, even with two world wars and a depression. Many evergreen and deciduous trees, like camphor laurels, jacarandas, and English oaks, were added. These trees are still important parts of the park's look today.
The Railway Line
A big change came in 1924 with the Richmond–Kurrajong railway line extension. This railway line cut across the south-east corner of the park. Many trees were cut down to make way for it. People were upset about this, but the line was built anyway.
The railway carried goods and passengers. It wasn't very profitable. In 1952, a flood damaged the line so much that it was closed. The tracks were removed, and Richmond Park returned to its original size. Later, in the 1990s, a brick path and signs were added to remember where the railway used to be.
Recent Changes
In the 1950s, there was a plan to build shops on the park land, but it didn't happen. The park did fall into disrepair for a while.
A war memorial was placed in the park in the early 1900s. It honors soldiers from World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and recent international campaigns. Two old cannons from 1855 were found buried near the pavilion in 1985. They were restored and placed next to the war memorial in 1988.
In 1977, the park's ownership was given to Windsor Municipal Council. Later, in 1980, it became part of Hawkesbury Shire Council (now Hawkesbury City Council). The park has seen many changes since then. Some new additions, like a rotunda built in 2002, were made to match the old pavilion's style. A modern playground was also added.
Even with all these changes, Richmond Park remains a key part of the town. Its purpose and layout have changed, but it's still a popular and valuable place for the community.
Other Parks Like Richmond Park
When Governor Macquarie planned new towns in 1810, he often included a central park for the community.
- McQuade Park in Windsor is another example. It has been a public park for about 200 years. It also has a war memorial and a sports oval, similar to Richmond Park.
- Wilberforce Park is another park planned by Macquarie. It's in a central spot and provides open space. It also has a war memorial. What's special about Wilberforce Park is that it's still the exact same size as when Macquarie first planned it in 1810.
- Bigge Park in Liverpool was also planned by Macquarie in 1810 and surveyed by James Meehan, just like Richmond Park.
These parks, including Richmond Park, are rare examples of Governor Macquarie's town planning that still exist in New South Wales today.
What Richmond Park Looks Like
Richmond Park covers 3.2 hectares (about 8 acres) and is right in the middle of Richmond. It's surrounded by Windsor, March, and East Market Streets. Next to the park on its western side are buildings like the Richmond School of Arts and the Court House.
The park's soil is special for Western Sydney. It's rich and deep, and there's usually plenty of water close to the surface. This good soil helps many English and European plants grow well here, even though Richmond's climate can be hotter and drier than coastal Sydney.
Richmond Park is an important green space in the town. Even though it has changed over 200 years, it's still a much-loved place for the Richmond community.
The park is designed with three main areas:
- Outer Park: The trees planted around the edges.
- Inner Park: Shrubs, flower beds, public seating, and paths.
- Central Area: A large grassy oval for sports.
This design was meant to create a nice public space for relaxing and playing sports. Even though some things have changed, this design is still clear today. The types of plants are different from the original native ones, but the big, old trees around the edges still frame the park beautifully.
The old River oaks, swamp mahoganies, and river red gums you see today were planted later. None of the very first native plants are left.
The inner park used to have a mix of different plants. The large hoop pines and Bunya pines around the park's border were planted to make a big impression. Thirteen Bunya pines were planted early on, but they were removed in 1946 because their huge cones could be dangerous if they fell. The hoop pines were kept.
In the north-western corner, there's a playground. A huge plane tree provides shade in summer and sun in winter. The north-eastern corner is also shady, especially in summer, with planes and elms. This corner is dominated by tall hoop pines.
Other trees in the park include white cedar, Cape chestnut, crepe myrtle, and various types of cypress and palms. There are also shrubs like flowering quince and camellias.
By having fewer trees in the "Inner Park," the design allows for clear views across the open grassy area.
Within the "Inner Park," you'll find garden beds, public seating, paths, and some buildings for the community to use.
Buildings and Features
- Rotunda: In the north-west corner, a rotunda (a round building with a dome roof) was built in 2002. It looks similar to the old pavilion. It's next to a modern children's playground.
- Fountain: On the Windsor Street side, there's an old iron fountain. It's not exactly as it was originally. When it was put in back in 1892, it had three statues of winged cherubs with mermaid tails. These statues are now gone, but you can still see where they were attached. The fountain has been dry for many years and is now surrounded by a flower bed.
- Sundial: Along the northern edge, there's a small stand with a sundial. A plaque on it thanks the Rozzoli Family Jewellers for 49 years of service to the community.
- RICHMOND Sign: At the corner of Windsor and East Market Streets, a large "RICHMOND" sign stands in the park. A plaque on it honors Samuel Boughton, who built the park's pavilion.
- War Memorial: On the East Market Street side, there's a war memorial. It's a tall stone pillar that remembers local soldiers from World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the "International Campaign Against Terror." Two old cannons from 1855 are placed on either side of the memorial.
- Railway Path: In the south-east corner, a brick path and signs were added in 1988. They are meant to show where the Richmond to Kurrajong railway line used to cross the park. However, this path doesn't exactly follow the original railway route.
- Cricket Oval and Pavilion: The main part of Richmond Park is the large grassy cricket oval in the center. This is where sports, especially cricket, have been played for a long time. The oval has been fenced since the late 1800s. The pavilion overlooks the oval. It's a wooden and iron building that adds historical charm to the park. The pavilion was badly damaged by fire in 1980 but was fully restored by 1994. It's now called the Rod McConville Stand, named after someone who did a lot for local sports, especially cricket.
Park Condition and Changes
Overall, Richmond Park is in very good condition. The trees and plants, even if not original, make the park a nice place. They fit well with the buildings and sports field. The pavilion, rotunda, war memorial, and fountain are also in good shape.
The pavilion was restored after the 1980 fire to look like its original design. The rotunda, built in 2002, was also made to match the historic style of the pavilion. The fountain is missing its cherub statues, but the war memorial is in good condition.
Some of the older pine trees are showing signs of stress, possibly from compacted soil or pollution.
Even though the plants have changed and the layout has been updated, Richmond Park still feels like the park it was meant to be. Governor Macquarie's idea of a public open space in a central location is still clear. The three main areas – the "Outer Park," "Inner Park," and "Central area" – are still easy to see. The pavilion, even after its restoration, still gives the park a historical feel.
Some newer additions, like the rotunda, playground, and a small car park, are more modern. But they also show that Richmond Park is still popular and used by the community today. All the different parts of the park, old and new, work together to show its original design.
