Annual Report 2009/2010 - Hawkesbury City Council - NSW ...

Hawkesbury’s Macquarie 2010 celebrations
The bicentenary of Lachlan Macquarie's term as Governor of New South Wales(1810-2010) and his
influence on the development and landscape of the Hawkesbury is being celebrated with gusto in 2010.
His contribution in naming and planning of five townships (four currently within the Council’s geographic
boundaries) - Windsor, Richmond, Pitt Town and Wilberforce (Castlereagh in Penrith City Council’s area)
on 6 December 1810 is being recognised with both civic and community events.
Following strong encouragement by the local community, Council established a Hawkesbury Macquarie
2010 Committee with a record 18 community members joining Councillors and Council staff. The
committee’s aim is to support the many community organisations organising events and activities to
celebrate this significant bicentenary has resulted in over 70 being held in the area throughout 2010.
Council and the NSW Rose and Iris Societies collaborated to develop the ‘Governor Macquarie’ Rose and
‘Elizabeth Macquarie’ Iris which are to be planted in significant areas both within the local area and across
the state. Her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, the current Governor of New South Wales
attended the initial planting of the rose and in April 2010 launched the rose garden. The Elizabeth
Macquarie Iris will be launched at an event in October 2010 with the Governor invited to officiate along
with the Mayor of Hawkesbury. The flowers acknowledge the contribution of the Macquaries to the
foundation of Australia and the Hawkesbury area.
Council has also commissioned the development of commemorative
china featuring the Governor Macquarie Rose and the Elizabeth
Macquarie Iris which is available for public purchase as a keepsake
reminder of this important occasion.
A year long museum exhibition has been produced along with a
gallery exhibition to be opened in December. Council also featured
a touring State Library display at the Central library. A
commemorative plaque to Governor Macquarie was unveiled on
Australia Day. Events will also be held to unveil plaques which will
be placed in each of the four Hawkesbury Macquarie towns during
the later part of 2010.
Located in the publicly accessible Council managed McQuade Park,
Windsor, stands the ‘Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of
NSW 1810-1821’ figurative statue, created by Frederic Chepeaux in
1994 (1945-1994).
In June 2010 Council received funding under the Commemorating Eminent Australians Program
sponsored by the Heritage Projects Section, Heritage Division, Department of the Environment, Water,
Heritage and the Arts to create interpretive signage at this statue. The project for which Council has
secured $7,700 will see the installation of interpretive signs to the structure surrounding the statue of
‘Major General Lachlan Macquarie’.
The interpretation of the Macquarie statue will enhance the site as a significant part of the recently
researched and developed “Windsor Heritage Walk - McQuade Park precinct”. Along with three other
precinct walks - Thompson Square, The Peninsula, Windsor Mall – it will provide visitors to the
Hawkesbury with interesting information that will enhance their experience in the Hawkesbury and
Windsor specifically.
The statue surrounds will be further enhanced with an artistic mosaic sculpture celebrating Elizabeth
Macquarie and her contribution to the Macquarie Partnership which will be unveiled in the later part of
2010.
Page 8
2009/2010 Annual Report