Sweeney's Reserve

The beautiful riverside park, Sweeney’s Reserve on the North Pine River, is a great place for a picnic. The park has a curved mound throughout, along which Gympie Road ran from the 1870s until 1936. The mound leads to the site of the old ford on the riverbank, where Tom Petrie operated a punt until the first bridge was built. This bridge, Sir Arthur’s Bridge was named in honour of Governor Sir Arthur Kennedy who performed the opening ceremony in 1877. The reserve became popular as a picnic spot, particularly after the railway opened in March 1888. Day trippers walked a short distance from the Petrie station to the river. By 1921 the council had erected lavatories, two bathing sheds and a kiosk. Over 1000 people visited the park each Sunday during the Christmas holidays. From 1926, Patrick Sweeney became lessee of the kiosk, but he soon managed the entire site. He was granted a special lease in 1932, allowing free public access and replacing amenities regularly lost to floods. A higher bridge was built downstream and the road realigned in 1936, expanding the reserve. The old bridge was demolished in 1938. The Sweeney family managed the reserve until 1958.