Richmond Park

About

Richmond Park is a heritage-listed public park and sporting venue bounded by East Market, Windsor and March Streets, Richmond, City of Hawkesbury, New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1810 and surveyed by James Meehan in 1811. The historic pavilion was designed by George Matcham Pitt Jr. in 1882 and built by Samuel Boughton in 1883–84. The park is owned by Hawkesbury City Council. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 5 March 2010.

Before any European colonisation of the Richmond area, the Hawkesbury region was once inhabited by the Dharug people. The riparian area along the Hawkesbury River had been a food source for the local Aboriginal people for over 50,000 years and, with relatively frequent floods that spread enriched alluvium throughout the surrounding land, the region was known to be an abundant and reliable resource for food.

Following European colonisation, the new colonists quickly recognised the agricultural potential of the banks of the Hawkesbury River. This led to intensive farming of the area to supply food to the developing colony that was experiencing severe shortages in the early years. However, following flooding in 1799, 1800, 1806 and 1809, life for the colonists farming the flats of the Hawkesbury River was a hard one, fraught with potential devastation with any inundation of the river

As one of the first tasks following his appointment as the Governor of New South Wales in 1810, Lachlan Macquarie was instructed by the British Government to survey and select five flood-free sites along the Hawkesbury River to determine which were best suited for new townships. To protect the future prosperity of the colony, the development of the selected towns was intended to expand food production and promote progress, self-sufficiency and sustainability amongst the settlers. Macquarie had intended to encourage the farming communities, established in the high-risk flood plains, to relocate and settle in the new townships, thus providing refuge and security for the farmers themselves as well as their livestock and crops.

The five towns, personally and specifically selected by Governor Macquarie, were to become Windsor, Richmond, Castlereagh, Pitt Town and Wilberforce. Of these new sites, Richmond was the first to be chosen by Macquarie, officially defined in December 1810 and laid out by the Government Surveyor, James Meehan, on 10 January 1811. Originally, ten acres (four hectares) of land in the centre of the town was reserved by Macquarie as the location of "the great square", now Richmond Park. Located between two principal thoroughfares running from east to west, the position of this open space was conceived as a central marketplace for the new town and as a suitable site for the activities of the local community.

Originally established when the town pattern was laid out in 1811, the size of the "Market Place" was reduced to its present size (3.2 hectares) after 1821 when the western strip of land, boarded by West Market Street, was reallocated for purposes of law and order. In 1811 the Government surveyor, James Meehan, established the grid pattern of streets including the "Market Square", bounded by Windsor and March Streets, East Market and West Market Streets. The reserved open space was reduced after 1821 to an area of 7 acres 3 roods 37 perches (i.e. the present area of 3.23 ha). The remaining portion of Crown reserve, between the "square" and West Market Street, was set aside for other purposes including building a watch house and later the Court House, post office, Masonic Lodge, School of Arts and public school. Although the "square" may have been used initially as a marketplace, as shown on the 1827 plan of Richmond, it appears that this parcel of public open space had become a popular venue for cricket and football (possibly rugby union), were played in latter years, cricket has remained the major sporting activity for over 160 years.

Despite the reduction in size, the marketplace, at least in the 1820s and 1830s, was used for buying and selling stock and crops. In the 1840s however, the land was largely cleared of vegetation and the site underwent a change in use from a marketplace to an area for more active recreational purposes, particularly for athletics ('foot races') and cricket.

By the 1840s almost all of the square's native vegetation of River Flat Eucalypt Forest (Alluvial Woodland) had been cleared with only a few original trees standing. The clearing of vegetation resulted in the ground becoming uneven and boggy after rain, strewn with fallen logs, tree stumps and noxious weeds. Up until the park was fenced in 1864, cattle and horses (a common feature of the Richmond streetscape) would graze untethered and without approval, leading to further degradation of the park grounds. The few remaining (original) trees disappeared over the years as successive improvements and overlays of planting of generic native and exotic trees, shrubs and borders were introduced. The aging River oaks ( Casuarina cunninghamiana ), swamp mahoganies ( Eucalyptus robusta ) and river red gums ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) have all been introduced during later park embellishments. None of the original native vegetation survives today.

Although the poor condition of the park was not an immediate issue for Richmond, in 1864 the town became more closely linked to Sydney with the construction of the Richmond railway line. With this line, came prosperity and an increasing public interest in developing and improving the town. Made up of local community members, the Improvement Committee was established around this time to focus on enhancing the appearance of the square and the facilities available to the public. With the help of the local community, this involved levelling the degraded parkland, laying turf to improve the quality of the cricket pitch, planting both native and exotic species of trees ('river oak, myall and red cedar and exotics English oak, conifers, beech ( Fagus sp.), poplar, cork ( Quercus suber ) and Judas ( Cercis siliquastrum ) trees') and installing wooden seats for the comfort of the park users.

With the renewed community effort to improve this area of public open space, the status of the square was changing and, in 1868, the site was officially gazetted for public recreation. It was also around this same time that the site became first known as Richmond Park.

In 1872 Richmond became a borough and in 1873 the newly elected Richmond Municipal Council was appointed as trustee of the park by the Department of Lands. This provided the catalyst for a new phase of coordinated development.

In its newly improved state and with the official change in status, a board of trustees made up of local community members was appointed to take responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the Park. The local trustees were William Bowman (a local politician and grazier), Stephen Field (property owner) and Edward Powell (a farmer and justice of the peace ). In an effort to further develop the park's design and collection of plantations, the trustees wrote in 1870 to Charles Moore, the Director of the Sydney Botanic Gardens, to request suitable trees (both exotics and Australian sub-tropical rainforest species) for planting around the boundary. A similar request to the Botanic Gardens was made again in 1873, this time from the Municipal Council who took over vested interest in the park from the local trustees in 1873, on behalf of the Crown

The plants supplied by the Sydney Botanic Gardens, as well as Australian natives, included a mix of species commonly found in public places of Britain and Europe (including exotics such as poplars ( Populus spp., planes ( Platanus sp.), mixed conifers ( Pinus and Cupressus spp.) and Australian sub-tropical rainforest species such as hoop pine ( Araucaria cunninghamii ), bunya pine ( Araucaria bidwillii ), red cedar ( Toona ciliata ), white cedar ( Melia azedarach var. australasica), silky oak ( Grevillea robusta ), swamp mahogany and brush box ( Lophostemon confertus ). The African olive ( Olea europaea ssp. cuspidata) on the Windsor Street frontage is believed to be one of the earliest plantings in the park. Other early introductions included the informal row of river oaks, a local native species ( Casuarina cunninghamiana ) along the western boundary. These were intermixed with local rainforest species ( Araucaria, Toona and Melia spp.) and other introduced evergreen and deciduous ornamentals such as the Cape chestnut ( Calodendrum capense ) and hackberry/nettle tree ( Celtis occidentalis ). Swamp mahogany specimens remain on two sides of the park. Many of these trees continue to define the park's historic landscape character and visual integrity.

An 1879 photograph clearly shows fenced plantations (the outer perimeter fence (i.e. painted hardwood post and double rail) was installed during this period and the boundary plantation was protected with a second double rail fence) around the park within the foreground trees from 2–6 m tall including hoop pines, silky oaks, Lombardy poplars ( Populus nigra "Italica", big cone pine ( Pinus coulteri ), Mediterranean cypresses ( Cupressus sempervirens ) and other species. The large mature trees (some of which remain from at least the 1870s) include tall, dominant include four hoop pines (two on the western edge, two in the north-eastern corner), river oaks (two large trees on the western edge), a deliberate specimen planting of river red gums ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis )(several in the south-western corner), Canary Island pine ( Pinus canariensis ) in the north-eastern corner, a red cedar ( Toona ciliata ) and silky oaks ( Grevillea robusta ).

The inner park plantations were typically defined by an eclectic mix of botanical specimens. The park's boundary plantations of emergent hoop and bunya pines with their dark, glossy foliage, distinctive symmetrical forms, towering dimensions and massive scale, were used for dramatic impact. 13 bunya pines were planted possibly as early as the 1860s, but were later removed in 1946 due to the potential danger to the public from massive cones falling from their tops. The hoop pines were retained.

Most of Sydney's 19th-century parks reflect this layout and palette pioneered by Charles Moore (director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney 1848–96) and that of Joseph Henry Maiden, Moore's successor as director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney (1896–1924). Their influence had a profound impact on Sydney's public parks and gardens. They provided Sydney with a lasting legacy of great 19th- and early 20th-century landscapes including the Botanic Gardens, Domain, Moore Park and Centennial Parklands.

Creation of public parks in a common design was a global practice in the late nineteenth century and one that intended to provide an enjoyable pleasant environment for the community as well as, in Australia, reflect the picturesque and idealized landscape of Europe. During this period, the Park's collection of plantations grew increasingly complex and eclectic. Nursery suppliers and local people contributed to the collection - although some species added were not suited to the environment and ultimately failed, many flourished. By 1883, more than 143 trees were recorded in Richmond Park.

The provision of these types of parks also had a scientific role in the community as arboretums. Diverse collections of plantations, many individually identified with plaques on trees bearing botanical and common names, was typical of early municipal parks. Some plaques remain today and these indicate that the educational purpose of Richmond Park continued well into the twentieth century (inter-war and post-war periods).

To beautify the [ark, the 1880s saw a more elaborate design layout implemented by the Council. Three distinct areas of the Park were created - the "Outer Park" including the border plantations; the "Inner Park" including designed flower beds, shrubs and public seating that were interconnected by encircling pathways; and the "Central Area" with the large grassed oval that was increasingly being used for organised sporting activities. The "inner park" of 1879 consisted of exotic shrubs and border planting. This early garden layout is typical of the Gardenesque Style ( c. 1835–1890) which reflected the classical, formal influences of the Victorian, Georgian, Regency, Classical and Italianate architectural styles of the period. The park's design featured an elaborate layout of fenced triangular planting beds which were interconnected by a rigid geometric pattern of formal gravel pathways. The "inner park" gardens lay between the cricket oval (open space) and the outer perimeter tree plantation creating, for the first time, a multi-layered effect. In 1882 the park's oval boundary was formalised with a painted post and single-top Arris rail fence. Both the oval and outer boundary fences were later replaced with a timber post, tubular steel top rail and wire-mesh fence. This structural layout of the park established three separate and inter-related components - a defined central sporting space (cricket ground), surrounded by perimeter pathways and gardens and an outer wooded park boundary. Seating and public amenities were added and the park gained broad recognition for its quality. It was featured in the 1886 County of Cumberland Year Book.

Further embellishment saw the incorporation of built elements. In 1882, the lack of any permanent buildings was recognised and it was decided that a pavilion, overlooking the sports field, should be constructed to add necessary distinction and amenity. The design was opened to a general competition that invited architects to design a structure that would seat about 300 people but cost no more than £300. It was also to be built of timber on brick piers, have a small room for the use of athletes and cricketers and be facing east across the oval. The competition generated much interest and, in March 1882, the entry named "Energy", designed by George Matcham Pitt junior was selected despite its cost, estimated to be 360 pounds. To build it there was only one tender. Samuel Boughton, a popular member of the local community, was given the job and, despite the "Erected 1883" inscription on one of the stone piers, construction was completed in early 1884.