Memorial Park

A triangular-shaped park with lawns, well-tended garden beds and shady trees creates the perfect spot for a picnic in Gympie, it's also a place where WWI soldiers are remembered. Gympie's Memorial Park was officially opened in April 1921, although the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) visited eight months earlier when unveiling the Gympie and Widgee War Memorial Gates which lead into the green-space. The local council used the expertise of Brisbane's Parks Superintendent, Harry Moore—also known for his landscape design of Yeronga's Memorial Park, Newstead Park, and New Farm Park. Local returned servicemen were employed for much of the ground works, featuring gently curving gravelled pedestrian walkways radiating from a few entrance points and raised, dry-stone walled rockery beds with dramatic displays of flowering annuals, perennials and roses. Palms, pines, poinsettias and jacarandas were also planted for this living tribute to the 167 men who died at war. While intended as a soldiers' memorial, others are remembered within the park. The 1920 bandstand honours the memory of a much-respected bandmaster, and a sandstone monument is dedicated to James Nash, the man credited with starting the Gympie gold rush. Glimpses of the park can be seen from Calton Hill.