A Gift of the
McPhillamy Family
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In 1890 Dr Thomas Machattie advocated for a road to the top of The Bald Hills so that the view from the top, being one of the grandest in the world, could be enjoyed. In 1910 he suggested beautifying Bathurst by establishing a picnic ground at the summit of The Bald Hills (now Mount Panorama/Wahluu). In the 1920s community works began to build community access to the top of The Bald Hills and a public picnic area at its summit.
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Walter J. McPhillamy Park officially opened on 17 March 1938 on 15 acres of land gifted to the community by Walter J. McPhillamy. This land was gazetted on 16 March 1938 for the following public purpose, namely, for the establishment of a Public Recreation Ground at Mount Panorama.
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10 additional acres of land were added to the park by Mrs Lurline McPhillamy in October 1938. In thanking Mrs McPhillamy the Town Clerk wrote: Aldermen expressed the view that no thanks could be too profuse for the valuable gift which will benefit the residents of the district and visitors for all time.
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McPhillamy Park has been actively used by the public for over 80 years. In 2005 Council recognised this, building a public covered picnic table at the site of the now proposed go-kart circuit.
Lurline (Lurlie) McPhillamy, was my grandfathers niece. She was often talked about in family circles as a lovely person. It is not generally known but she was an artist, a painter. She loved landscapes and handed back McPhillamy Park to the people of Bathurst and subsequently the Wiradjuri people so that the surrounding landscape could be enjoyed by everyone as a sacred place. She would have been horrified if the area was to be turned into a noisy 7 days a week private Go Kart track.
Chris W
Save Mount Panorama petition.