| History Of Queens Park | |||||
|
|
The
site of Queen's Park today, was not the original site which the Essendon
Borough had applied for. The Borough, via a Mr. J. T. Hinkins (Secretary)
had, on the 12th March 1861 raised with the Commissioner of the Lands
and Survey, the question of a land grant of 50 acres (20.23 hectares)
west of the Essendon railway station. This area was well within the
triangle of 'public lands' bounded by Lincoln and Mount Alexander Roads,
the Railway and Buckley Streets. This area was knocked back, subdivided
and subsequently sold to the growing population.
The Councilors at the Essendon Borough were not deterred and a second site was sought. The Council was very much motivated by the planning of Robert Hoddle. They, like Hoddle, recognised the need for permanent open reserves for both recreational and ornamental purposes within the boundary of their Borough. These men could envisage the future demands that would be placed upon them by a rapidly expanding population, and they did their utmost cater for these demands. The outcome of their foresight was the application for another piece of 'public lands'. This new site being the lands adjacent to the historic lagoon and watering place once known as the Moonee Ponds Reserve, but today as Queen's Park. The region of the land was still in the triangle of the 'public lands', referred to in the Governor-in-Council proclamations of that period. It was bounded by Buckley Street, Pascoe Vale Road and Melbourne Roads (now known as Mt Alexander Road). The Borough of Essendon/Flemington officially requested to the Department of Lands and Survey for this piece of land to be placed under municipal control in 1862. In 1863 the Borough was granted this and adopted the necessary regulations for the control of common land (now Queen's Park). Originally this area was used as a watering reserve for passing stock and much more of the land (usually in 100 acre lots) was owned by large land owners of the district. They had either purchased Crown Grants from the Government or were squatters paying for a license to run cattle on the region. The site of Queen's Park was the prime watering reserve in the district and visitors (stockmen & gold diggers) were forced to pay one pound per load for drinking water. The watering reserve was formed due to a natural depression in the ground. All the waters from the surrounding heights drained into this natural basin; no one can recall the basin ever running dry. This drainage system was linked to the land now embraced by the Moonee Valley Racecourse (that is, one can see the large underground storm drains passing through the track from Albion Road) and finally ended up in the Moonee Ponds creek. It was a very devious system of drainage ponds until it reached Moonee Ponds Creek. Originally the park was divided into 3 separate watering reserves:
These three regions in total added up to 20 acres of land permanently reserved for public use. Today these three separate regions are gone and a comparison can be made between the parks layout in 1870 to that of 1861. The actual site of Queen's Park is barely
20 acres in size, but it does contain a wealth of history. During the
development of the Borough, this region was exposed to many pioneers,
such as gold miners and overland sheep and cattle drovers. Anyone in the
area could use the water reserve , including large land owners who used the natural depression as
their primary water source. A wide bush track was devoted primarily to
the traveling flocks and herds of the land owners. The region had a
little ration of shopkeepers which clustered about this main artery.
After 1851, sales of "common lands" became more frequent and
as the population increased, so did the pressure to have the region now
known as Queen's Park turned into a permanent reserve. Once the area was
reserved for recreational use only, the land owners and other users were forced to pay
a water levy of one pound per load; this practice continued until the
1890's when cattle were no longer permitted to use the reserve. The park is famed by the presence of
Burke and
Wills. It was in this vicinity that Burke and Wills camped on the evening
of their first night after departing Melbourne on their trans-continental
expedition. They supposedly watered their camels and horses at the site of
the memorial, which marks the place where the Burke and Wills tree stood. The
location of their campsite is debatable. Some sources believe they made 2 camps, one on this
side and the other 300 yards back down Mt Alexander Road towards Melbourne.
It was here that old residents of Essendon testify to Burke and Wills camping,
not where the memorial now stands. Despite this criticism, it is at least
evident that Burke and Wills did camp in this vicinity on 20 August 1860. This reserve of public land was also first camping site for many other pioneers which were of lesser fame; the gold diggers on their way to the fields during the 1850's. When one views the park today, it is hard to conjure up what the surroundings were really like. The reserve played host to thousands of diggers who were engaged with the romance of becoming millionaires. All types of men stopped here from all types of backgrounds. The one thing that held them together was the rush to enjoy the liberty and freedom of a digger's life. The diggers have left behind many stories and mentions of the Moonee Ponds Reserve. "A hundred campfires are blazing and the atmosphere is impregnated with the incense of burning gum leaves. The horses and bullocks graze on succulent grasses that carpet the virgin land and tinkle of cattle bells make the twilight musical." ( Aldous, p 17) The men would sit and discuss the latest news from the goldfields and the outrages of the bushrangers. They were men possessed of grit, lawless men beckoned on by the spirit of romance. For the life of the goldfields men poured passed this site and some were far from impressed by this 'haven'. References: Marshall, G, Local History Essay Queens Park Essendon, Sam Merrifield Library Local History Collection Aldous, G, 1979, The Stop-over That Stayed, City of Essendon, Moonee Ponds, Vic; pp 102-108 |
Queens Park, 1899
Queen's Park Conservatory, c.1900
Queen's Park Fete, 1905
Queens Park Lake and Pavilion, 2002
Queens Park Lake, 2002
|
|||
