Growing up in New Farm with Grace Grace
Member for McConnel, Minister Grace Grace has many memories of New Farm Park.
New Farm Park has been part of my life all my life.
It has been a place of play, a place of relaxation, a place for outings, a place for festivals. It’s a place of beautiful memories.
Very early on I can remember playing in and around the Moreton Bay figs on older-style equipment like see-saws and one of those low roundabouts.
And those rose gardens – there used to be many more of them and in the right season they were so prolific, so beautiful.
When I was very young, we lived in Spring Hill and my uncle used to bring us to the park as a treat.
Driving around the ring road with him during jacaranda season we loved hearing the flowers popping underneath the tyres. That’s another beautiful memory.
I return to the word “beautiful” so often when I think about the park.
We’d go to the old kiosk for ice-creams. They would have a great variety in the fridges and we’d usually get icy poles, or something lemonade-flavoured or sometimes a cornetto.
Later, my family moved right around the corner and it became my neighbourhood park.
The river was always very much part of the park experience, always so beautiful to walk along.
When Michael and I were married in 1985 the rotunda was the wedding picture destination for anyone from the neighbourhood.
We had our wedding at Holy Spirit in Villiers Street and came down to the park for the classic rotunda photograph with the river in the background.
The Italian festivals were so much fun as a child and a young adult. There would be thousands of Italians come to join in. The St Joseph’s Festival was enormous.
And now there’s the Pride festivals and the park has been such an important place for those. I’ve been a proud supporter and it’s a wonderful time.
As my family of six sisters grew and have had kids and grandkids, we’ve never left the park. It’s our ‘hood.
New Farm Park is a central place for the community and everyone can find their space – the croquet and tennis clubs and the soccer games are just great fun.
It’s my very favourite place for citizenship ceremonies and every year the Anzac ceremony at the Sandakan memorial grows bigger and they’re both so beautiful.
Locating the New Farm Neighbourhood Centre right across the road has been a great decision. It means our most vulnerable people can get the help they need within easy reach.
When the Powerhouse was redeveloped that took the park to the next level, expanding the space and the ways the area can be used.
My hope for the future is it stays as it is – to be a place people can make memories.
Email admin@newfarmpark.com.au with your own story of New Farm Park, including your contact details. Photos encouraged!
