Trees and Plants in the Parklands

About 15,000 trees grow in Centennial Parklands. Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queens Park all have many particularly fine examples of Australian figs, evergreen oaks, exotic pines, eucalypts and paperbarks.

History

Centennial Park

Centennial Park was planned as a grand English-style suburban park. It is distinguished from European parks by the use of native Australian trees as the major plantings. Before it opened in 1888, 220 hectares of native scrub and sandy soil had to be transformed into grass, ornamental ponds, lakes, forest tree plantations and grand avenues.

At Centennial Park’s dedication ceremony in 1888, dignitaries planted 13 trees in the ceremonial triangle (now Cannon Triangle). Sadly, because of poor soil and the exposed condition of the area, none of these trees have survived.

Two early directors of the park, Sir Charles Moore and Sir Joseph Maiden, were responsible for its heritage plantings. Moore, Director of the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens from 1848 until 1896, turned coastal scrubland into the beginnings of a Victorian Park. Maiden, Director between 1896 and 1924, supervised most of the park’s major plantings. He favoured many local tree varieties over European species.

Maiden concentrated on avenue and grove plantings, particularly Grand Drive, and the paperbark belts. Paperbarks were particularly suited to the park’s wet soils and formed windbreaks which protected exotic trees from harsh southerly winds. Paperbarks were planted in Paperbark Grove, between Lang Road and Parkes Drive, around Lily Pond and in Mission Fields. Keen to introduce a tropical quality to the park, Maiden also planted many palms, including the Canary Island date palms along Parkes Drive and in the formal lawn area between the Rose Garden and the Column Garden.

Many tree species have been planted over the years. About 60 per cent of all the tree species in the park today comprise seven hardy survivors: the Norfolk Island Pine, Cluster Pine, Moreton Bay Fig, Port Jackson fig, the eucalypts, Holm Oak and the broad leaf Paperbarks.

Plantings

Grand Drive

In 1896 trees were planted around Grand Drive in a special sequence of two Port Jackson figs, a Holm Oak, followed by a Port Jackson fig, Norfolk Island Pine and Holm Oak. This design cleverly overcame the problem of arranging an avenue of trees around a circular road and means visitors can stand anywhere on Grand Drive and see three tree species. This planting continues along Federation Way, which links Centennial Park and Moore Park. Federation Way was originally envisaged as the park’s western gateway.

Parkes Drive

Parkes Drive features magnificent Port Jackson figs planted in 1900. Next to Parkes Drive near the Paddington Gates is a prominent planting of paperbarks. Established by Joseph Maiden, Paperbark Grove is one of the most photographed areas in the park. A row of 65 paperbarks called Maiden’s Row has just been planted along Alison Road to commemorate Maiden’s work.

Sandstone Ridge

The thickly-wooded Sandstone Ridge features dense vegetation, including self-sown Cluster Pines and eucalypts (particularly the very tall flooded gum), Port Jackson figs and coral trees. The trees on the ridge are home to some of the many native bird species in the Park.

Loch Avenue

Shaded by huge trees, Loch Avenue leads down from Sandstone Ridge into Federation Valley. The planting along this roadway occurred during 1900 and features araucarias, Port Jackson figs and Holm Oaks.

Pine Grove

Behind the Parklands Office and south of the Parade Grounds is a grove of magnificent Cluster Pines. These were planted as a school project on Arbor Day in 1967.

Lachlan Swamp

This is typical of a coastal paperbark swamp. It includes 60 original native plant species. There is a self-guided walk through the swamp.

Replanting of Parkes Drive

The replanting of Parkes Drive was a Centenary of Federation project dedicated to the many nationalities that make up Australian society. Parkes Drive was originally planted with Canary Island date palms, and, more recently, Washingtonia or cotton palms. Both these plant species succumbed to a destructive fungus. The replanting of Parkes Drive uses Kauri Pines, whose tall, strong trunks will create an elegant colonnade through the middle of the park.

Queens Park

Queens Park was planted in the 1890s and 1930s with Moreton Bay and Port Jackson figs, Monterey Pines, araucarias and Holm Oaks. There are three giant Moreton Bay Figs in Queens Park estimated to be older than the park itself. The park also boasts several striking coral trees.

Moore Park

Moore Park is best known for the historic avenue of figs planted in the 1860s along the length of Anzac Parade (then called Randwick Road). Fine examples of Port Jackson and Morton Bay figs run the length of the park on Anzac Parade. Moore Park West is being replanted to replace the original trees along South Dowling Street.