Boer War Veterans Memorial Kiosk and Lissner Park

News of the day

Evening Telegraph, Thursday 23 April 1914, page 3

Minister's Visit,

FARMS, PARK AND WEIR

This Thursday morning at 9 a.m., the Hon. John White, Minister for Agriculture, was taken to inspect the farms at Scrubby Creek The party accompanying the Minister were Mr. J. Millican (Chairman of Queenton Shire) The Hon. E. H. T. Plant, M.L.C., Messrs. R. Wynn Williams and V. Winstanley M.M.L.A., Geo. Johnson (Curator Lissner Park), A. Lovelady, H. M. Trower (Land Commissioner), E. W. Quirk (Lands Ranger), and E. G. Seriven (Under Secretary).

The party were conveyed in two cabs, and the roads were very heavy after the recent rains. They visited the farms of Messrs. Stephenson Bros. and Gluyas, which were looking well. It was also intended to visit the farm of Mr. Higgins, but the roads proved too heavy. The party returned to town, reaching the Crown Hotel just after 12 noon.

Mr. Winstanley left them on reaching town, and the rest of the party then went to Lissner Park, where they were joined by His Worship the Mayor. They passed through the bush house, and the visitors admired the fine collection of ferns. Mr. White commented on the wire netting having to be put up, to protect the plants from injury by some of the people who come to inspect. He thought people should try to protect what was their own property, and it was explained that injury had been done by some of the young people before the netting was erected. A visit was then paid to the enclosure, where the kangaroos and large birds are kept, where Mr. White inspected the pumping oil engine. The kangaroos and emus attracted attention. They then passed through the lagoon enclosure then inspected the Queen's jubilee obelisk from outside. Afterwards the kiosk was inspected, and His Worship the Mayor pointed out the inscriptions to the soldiers of the local contingents who took part in the South African War, in memory of whom the kiosk had been built.

The party then left the Park, and the Minister was taken into the Waterworks Board Office, thence to the Crown Hotel.

In the afternoon the Ministerial party were conveyed in motor cars to the Weir.

Background

During the Boer War a South African Patriotic Fund was established in Charters Towers to assist families and soldiers affected by the war in Africa. £1200 was left in the fund after the war and the Municipal Council suggested that a kiosk be built in Lissner Park as a memorial to Charters Towers people who served in the war. In 1909 the Council offered a prize for the best design for a Memorial Kiosk. Mr F Jorgensen, Director of the Technical College, won the competition, however, during construction his design was slightly altered when the floor design of the Australian Flag and the Union Jack, to be created in tiles, was removed because it was seen as inappropriate that people would walk on the flags. It is not know who built the kiosk but the iron work was supplied by local foundry Walton & Millgate. A honour board, erected at the western end of the kiosk, contains the names of those soldiers from the district who lost their lives during the Boer War. Over 7000 people attended the opening ceremony and enjoyed the promenade concert after the opening by Mayor SH Thorp. The celebrations lasted all day and during the evening the band rotunda, fountain and kiosk were brightly lit for the concert.

Photographic evidence indicates that a bush house, which no longer exists, was constructed in April, 1891. A 'tin' fountain , installed prior to 1910, was removed from the park in 1964 or 65 when the Lions Club built a ceramic tiled fountain. The original tin fountain, which no longer works, has recently been returned to the park. A small lake was constructed in 1911 and the toilets and lighting were extended in 1912.

A small zoo, which was constructed at the northern end of the park along Plummer St, is now being slowly removed because the care of animals is costly and time consuming. A new, smaller, animal enclosure was developed in 1988 on the site of the 1911 lake.

A memorial to Joseph and William Hann, early explores and pastoralists in the Kennedy District, was erected in 1959 to celebrate the centenary of pastoral settlement. Extensive concrete paths were constructed under the Red Scheme in the 1970s. These walkways follow the line of some earlier 'cinder' paths which cris crossed the park.

The recreation reserve was reduced in size in 1971 when a swimming pool was constructed at the northern end of the park on land bounded by Plummer and Church Streets. It was probably at this time that Mosman Creek, which now forms the boundary between the park and the pool, was lined with concrete and stone along the section bordering the park.

Some renovations to the kiosk were carried out in mid 1970. The Boer War Veterans Memorial Kiosk was entered on the Register of the National Estate in 1978 and in 1989 a National Estate Grant of $31,300 was awarded for conservation work on the kiosk.

The bandstand has recently been repaired and painted and the installation of an irrigation system to water the whole park has created a pleasant, cool environment which is being utilised by the local community and travellers.

 

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