Level of Significance
- File
- Local
- Regional
- State
- National
Age (approx)
80yrsTrees
1Diameter
1mHeight - 12m
Details
- Outstanding species (Scientific)
- Landscape (Social)
- Contemporary association (Social)
- Park/Garden/Town (Historic)
- Person/Group/Institution (Historic)
- Attractive (Aesthetic)
Statement of Significance
The rich, fertile soil, temperate climate and the interest of many of its citizens in things botanical has resulted in Toowoomba Region’s ability to grow a wide range of indigenous and non-indigenous plants. In 1860, the area was the first to hold an Agricultural Show in Queensland – 15 years before Brisbane. Walter Hill, the then Government Botanist and first curator of the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens, travelled to Toowoomba to advise with the design and planning of Queen's Park and street plantings in Toowoomba. He subsequently imported many tree species from Europe, Asia and other parts of the world to be planted there. Hill Street in Toowoomba is named in his honour. The town attracts many visitors in September for its famous Carnival of Flowers, where people come from near and far to enjoy Toowoomba’s many parks and gardens.
Freneau Pines Park was named after Florence Freneau, who was mother superior of Our lady of Our Sacred Heart Boy’s school that was established in the area about 1947, after being relocated from Eagle Farm in Brisbane. A former student recalls that on one section of the property there were two rows of very large Norfolk Island Pine trees forming a driveway to a deserted house. In a visit, some years ago, he recalled that some of the pine trees remain and a water tower now stands somewhere near where the house stood. In the area close to the house there was a very large Macadamia tree and a Bunya Nut Pine Tree. It is believed that this tree may have been planted by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart when they ran the Catholic boys' primary school on the site 1946-1964. It may be older.
This tree is a good example of its species and makes an important contribution to the landscape of this historic park. It has contemporary association with the community and, in the Toowoomba Telegraph newspaper of 8 June 2013, is recorded as being a climbing tree by old boys of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic boys' primary school. It is associated with the Sisters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic boys' primary school on the site 1946-1964, who may have been responsible for its planting. It is still producing a substantial harvest of good nuts and still used for climbing and swinging by local children. It remains a great looking tree. The tree is located around 40 m east of the water reservoir.
Notes
Notes supplied by a former student at a school on the site:
To me as a small boy of eight years the Norfolk Island Pines and the Macadamia Tree and the Bunya Nut Pine tree at Freneau Park appeared to be fully grown in 1955. I remember climbing the Macadamia tree. I do not have any photos of the trees but I do know that the big house was at the end of the driveway between the sets of pines and the Macadamia tree was on the left hand side if travelling from the racetrack to the house.
The house was deserted in 1955...I would say that this house and driveway were part of an estate and were not on the section of the property that the school was on. We knew that it was part of the College grounds but there were no activities there. I used to get permission to go there to catch finches (Double Bars) and there were dairy cattle grazing between the school and the pines...There was another old mansion that the Nun’s lived in and this had a large kitchen for our meals.