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| Image: Google Maps |
As this blog has shown before, heritage can take many forms. Item 185 of the Marrickville Council Heritage Register lists the footpath in Graham Avenue Marrickville and the 13 Canary Island date palm trees.
Other trees exist on the register. Other Canary Island palms in Carrington Road are listed as is a Moreton Bay Fig located at 43 South Street, Tempe. Several gardens are also listed as having heritage importance.
In the 1930s Marrickville Municipal Council developed a tree-planting program as a part of its depression relief work scheme. Trees were planted in Carrington Road and a number of parks including Maundrell and Weekley park. The palms in the grounds of St Brigids and also at Marrickville Hospital were also planted at this time.
It is fitting that the council chose Graham Avenue to plant the avenue of palm trees. The avenue was named in honour of Joseph Graham, who was the mayor of Marrickville for a record of 9 terms. Graham was a professional seed and nurseryman who employed a number of gardeners on his Lilydale estate. He was a foundation member of the National Parks and Wildlife Trust and treasurer of the Royal Horticultural Society of New South Wales.
Although unlisted, many of the trees around the Marrickville Golf Course were planted by the work relief scheme in the late 1930’s. The area, previously known as Riverside Park was planted with trees and a 9 hole golf course established (now 18 hole).
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| Image Source: State Library (a much clearer image can be seen on THIS council document) |
Marrickville Council remain interested in tree planting around the municipality. As part of their 2013 National Tree Day, Marrickville Council returned to “Riverside Park” and with the help of 150 volunteers planted around 1100 plants at the site in July.
References:
- Marrickville: Rural Outpost to Inner City, Richard Cashman & Chrys Meader
- Saving Our Trees Blog
- Marrickville Golf
Marrickville Heritage Society 
Bells and whistles to Marrickville Council, gongs to Pittwater. It is great to see you regard Canary Island Date Palms as significant heritage-listed trees, Pittwater Council regards the Canary Island Date Palm as feral and encourages elimination of this magnificent palm. Why are councils so different? A brochure has been specifically produced to encourage removing these palms. They provide habitat to many native animals and birds and great shade. The council says the spikes on palm fronds are an issue; no more so than the Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona Australis) which is indigenous in the area but is also planted extensively in shopping malls, median strips and parkland. What hypocrisy.(The council advised us over certain plants to grow in our garden. Some of these plants are now on their noxious list of weeds. Very confusing). We have so little European heritage, and what we have seems to be pulled down or eliminated in the name of progress. So short-sighted.
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