NEWCASTLE PARKS AND GARDENS OUTSHINE NATIONAL RIVALS
One of Australia’s oldest crematoriums, Newcastle Memorial Park, has been awarded the prestigious title of Best Park and Garden in a highly contested inter-state awards hosted by funeral industry group InvoCare.
Now in its ninth year, the competition pits the funeral groups 12 cemeteries and crematoria in New South Wales and Queensland against each other in a battle for the best grounds and greenest thumb, and this year Newcastle was the rose amongst the thorns.
Newcastle Memorial Park Operations Manager, Peter Willis, said:
We’re thrilled to have taken out the award this year because the competition is very tough. We were joint winners in 2007 and often we finish in the top three, so to have come out on top over our major competitors in Sydney and Queensland is such a great recognition of our ground staff’s hard work.”
The park, first established in 1936, employs nine ground staff to maintain the 42 acre site. But to claim the competition judges are looking for more than just maintenance, they seek gardens and parks that are continually evolving and developing. Judges chose Newcastle Memorial Park as the overall winner largely based upon its recent addition, a feature known as Tranquil Waters, A granite fountain that boasts rows of carved granite to provide for family memorials.
“There is an incredible wealth of talent in our ground keepers. We have Brett Lawless who was a stone mason for 20 years before joining us and he carefully constructs the memorials. Scott Baus is a horticulturist and Darrell Matthews has been tending the grounds here for more than 35 years. We have enough talent here to make the professional golf courses jealous,” said Mr Willis.
Judges also look beyond the gardens to the maintenance of the buildings on site. The Memorial Park’s two chapels have both been refurbished in the last 12 months, which also captured the judge’s attention.
“No one would want to leave the memory of their loved ones in unsightly grounds. Our program of works in the gardens is all about helping families to feel more at ease during such difficult times, and satisfied their loved ones are in the best possible place they could be,” said Mr Willis. Our role is to provide so much more than a cremation or host a chapel service and by developing our grounds, we can better provide for our community. It’s a fantastic reward to have that extra effort recognised.”
Stage two of Tranquil Waters will begin this summer and staff are hoping the new development could be enough to keep them on top of their rivals for next year’s awards.
The Memorial Park is also the final resting place to some well known names including famous artist Sir William Dobell.
