Ulmarra Memorial Park

About

The Ulmarra Memorial Park is located on the banks of the Clarence River. Its entrance is marked by an open gate, topped with a metal arch. The gate is a masonry structure that has been painted white. Walls of a similar design edge the park. The park is well-maintained and features mature palm trees, which are typical of the 1920s period, as well as other shrub and tree plantings. Planning for the park was underway by late 1924. The joint secretaries of the District Soldiers' Memorial Committee, T.H. Wall and D.J. Lobban, published a letter in the Daily Examiner, 25 October 1924, outlining permission had been granted to approach the Municipal Council and the North Coast Steam Navigation Company (NCSNC) with a request to convert part of their land into a Memorial Park. The idea was to be based on the Grafton Memorial Park.  In early 1926, the Ulmarra Memorial Park Committee was created to draw up plans for the park and an account was opened at the local branch of the ABC Bank and to collect subscriptions (Daily Examiner, 5 February 1926; 18 March 1926). The NCSNC eventually provided the land and in 1926, a fundraising carnival was held for the project with 410 pounds being raised. This money was to be used in the laying-out of the park, which the council would maintain (The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 July 1926).  On 2 May 1927, the Examiner reported delays had occurred because of issues concerning the removal of the Rowing Club shed on the land, but the fence on the south and south west had been erected, partly by voluntary labour. On 7 December, the Examiner advertised the calling of tenders for the construction of the river front wall to the park. This tender notice was unsuccessful, however the footpath was laid in July.  The second call for tenders went out in January 1928 and the bid from Mr Brown of Grafton for 195 pounds was accepted. However, further delays occurred because of the late delivery of the required stone and council not providing a subsidy. That July, the committee asked the secretary to secure a loan so the park could be finished before November. A final delay was caused by plans for the front walls not being provided by the contractor. They were finally accepted by council in November (Daily Examiner, 30 April 1928; 9 July 1928).  The park was opened in front of a large crowd on 12 November 1928. The event was led by Mr. F.J. Yalden, chairman of the committee. Special guests included the Mayor of Grafton, Alderman Macpherson and Mrs Macpherson and Captain Anderson and Mrs Anderson. Captain Anderson was representing the NCSNC and had the honour of performing the ribbon cutting to officially open the park. He stated, "I declare the park open to the public of Ulmarra for all times as a memorial to the men who were left behind on the battlefields of France, from their mates here in Ulmarra" (Daily Examiner, 14 November 1928). Various commemorative services are held throughout the year in the park, which includes the Ulmarra and District War Memorial.