Celebrating Barbour Park in Gunning

Mayor of Upper Lachlan Shire Council, Brian McCormack OAM (right), about to cut the ribbon with President of GDHS Graham Dyer (left) at Barbour Park on Meadow Creek, Gunning, with the RV-friendly camping area is in the background.
Photo: Rosemary Spiller.

Twenty people from Gunning and district came together in fine Autumn weather in a very popular location on Sunday 30 April. The event was part of the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival. Mr Graham Dyer, President of Gunning and District Historical Society, outlined the "Barbour Park Seat of Reflection Project”. The Upper Lachlan Wood Guild and Gunning and District Historical Society (GDHS) had crafted and erected the memorial Seat of Reflection. It became clear that a roof was required.

As well as the community grant from Energy Developments (EDL), operators of the Cullerin Windfarm, GDHS had contributed a donation from Ms Alison Blackbourn, daughter of Dr Barbour, and its own funds to "enhance" the seat. GDHS thanks the Upper Lachlan Shire Council, especially the people from the Gunning depot who provided advice on ordering the structure, erected the roof and repositioned the memorial plaque which had been dedicated on Armistice Day 2015. Some people with well-developed aesthetic sensibilities have wished for a less functional structure but the lovely views of Meadow Creek are undiminished, as seen in the photo at top.

The McCormacks enjoying the Autumn sunshine.
Photo: Rosemary Spiller

Graham welcomed the Mayor of the Upper Lachlan Shire, Mr Brian McCormack OAM and Mrs McCormack to the “cutting the ribbon” ceremony. Brian reflected on how fondly Gunning people remembered Dr Barbour. He was a veteran of World War I, who came to Gunning in 1935 and was the local physician as well as serving as Shire President for 27 years. This park was conceived as a memorial to him. The Mayor congratulated GDHS for their activities and recounted some recent events with an historical flavour in other parts of the Shire that he and Mrs McCormack had been pleased to attend.

The Mayor commended EDL for the community grant to erect the roof which will protect users from the weather and preserve the handsome wooden seat. He spoke enthusiastically of other projects which EDL has funded throughout the Shire.

EDL: Sponsors of the Barbour Park Seat of Reflection Project

After Mr McCormack wielded the scissors on the ribbon, he and Mrs McCormack joined the locals for a cup of tea. We were then treated to a display of objects from the collection of historical artefacts unearthed locally by Michael Brown with the help of his metal detector. Some of the group then proceeded to Pye Cottage Museum, following the GDHS Walk Guide to the key historical buildings of Yass Street.

The Gunning and District Historical Society wishes to thank Energy Developments for their support of the Society and the Gunning community.

First Settlers in Lade Vale: Frank and Catherine Lawless

Is this the house that Frank built? Remains of a substantial granite block house on land once owned by the first settlers in Lade Vale, Frank and Catherine Lawless. It may well have been built by Frank when the family took up their circa 1826 land grant. While we cannot be absolutely certain this is his work, there can be no doubt it is just the sort of house a skilled builder/bricklayer such as Frank would have constructed to settle his family in. Frank and Catherine Lawless – The Lade Vale Years The Story So Far This is the second chapter in our look at early colonial settlers Frank and Catherine Lawless written by their 3rd great granddaughter, Carmel Peek, in association with GDHS. At the end of our last episode: Bricklayer Frank [as he was commonly called rather than by his formal given name Francis] had been transported to Sydney from Ireland in 1809 following his conviction for highway robbery; He compounded his failings and misfortunes in late 1810 whe...

Lees Family Origins: Links to Gunning

Waratah (now Warrataw) Street, Gunning, circa 1905. Article by Kim Lees The Lees family emigrated from Germany in the 1850’s as Bounty Immigrants under a scheme to bring citizens from various countries to Australia to assist in establishing farming and other industries. They came from the wine growing area of Grossbottwar, some 26 kms north of Stuttgart. It has been possible, through a German Ancestry organisation ‘Beyond History’, to trace the Lees family in Grossbottwar as far back as the late 1500s, some 6 generations before the family emigrated from Germany to Australia. In 2013 I visited Grossbottwar where I met with a cousin and his family who still live there. The Lees family (parents Johannes (48) & Louisa (44) and children Conrad (20), Adam (16), Jacob (14), Fredricka (9), and David (6)) travelled to Australia on the Dutch Barque ‘Helene’ with 215 other German Immigrants. The youngest child, a daughter Christiana (aged 5 months) died on the voyage to Aust...

Walking and Unwitting Death Trap: September Bird of the Month

Image courtesy Duade Paton https://www.photos.duadepaton.com From Gladstone's Notebook: Sometimes Poisonous, yet a Culinary Delight and the Explorer’s Saviour – the Common Bronzewing This is number 9 of a 12 part series in which we take a bird recorded in Gladstone Weatherstone’s notebook between 1962 and 1981, see if anything is different today and, if so, try to explain why. Gladstone was a dedicated and knowledgeable amateur naturalist who lived on Lyndfield Park near Gunning from 1941 until 1996 Image of Gladstone Weatherstone courtesy Wayne Weatherstone. The Common Bronzewing On 3 September 1967, Gladstone wrote “ Several Bronzewing Pigeons seen near Jerrawa and possibly nesting near Catherine’s Creek ”. This bird makes only a few appearances over the 19 years covered by his notebook. In June 1973 he wrote “ Bronze-winged Pigeon observed feeding around the house today, also two days later. First time seen in close ....

Gunning & District Historical Society

Search This Blog