The Victoria Park Band Pavilion or rotunda was built in less than 3 months and opened in 1903. Every Sunday the Kalgoorlie Brass Band would perform open-air concerts to the citizens of Kalgoorlie.
Victoria Park – Photo SLWA
Victoria Park is a well established park which was located in the grounds of the property of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Victoria Park was originally created as a public park, and was one of only two parks laid out in a formal design in Kalgoorlie. The other park was King Edward Park located between Collins and Bourke Streets, east of Parsons Street. King Edward Park also contained a small rotunda.
With the construction of the rotunda, Victoria Park became a focal point in Kalgoorlie for outdoor social gatherings. The Municipality of Kalgoorlie commissioned the construction of the rotunda (known as the ‘band pavilion’) for a cost of £300 (including a £100 grant given earlier by the state government for improvements for the Victoria Park Reserve).
Rotunda at Victoria Park – postcard
The tender was awarded to the only tenderer, Edward Sears, for £279/10/-. Mr Sears was given four months in which to complete the work, however it took him less than three months. Mayor Norbert Keenan officially opened the rotunda on 5 November 1903. The Western Argus reported on the opening of the rotunda: “Friday night’s weather was distinctly favorable so there was a big attendance at Victoria Park at the formal opening of the fine new band stand built there to the order of the Kalgoorlie Town Council. The formal opening was performed in well chosen and heartily applauded words by the Mayor, Mr Keenan, who indicated that the municipal authorities desired to help the citizens to enjoy healthy recreation and pleasure. An excellent program of music, well played, was presented to the gratification of the large gathering.
The Kalgoorlie Brass Band, under the direction of Mr A. Grieve, whose capabilities as conductor are being proved in the progress made by the band. In future, the band will occupy the Victoria Park Rotunda on Sunday Evenings, to entertain the many people who will doubtless attend during the summer season, with very high class music. The construction of the rotunda provided a venue for musical performances and Victoria Park became a popular place for family gatherings and picnics while listening to music recitals. Attendances could be as high as 3,000 people.
Salvation Army Picnic 1924 – Photo SLWA
As well as a swimming pool there was also a miniature zoo which had two eagles called O’Malley and Tie, a monkey called Jacko, several kangaroos, emus, turkeys, a swan and Echidna called Ben. Owls and ostriches were also offered but refused by the council. The zoo was finally closed in 1939 due mainly to the smell and to the poor conditions the birds and animals were kept in and cruelty by children.
Swimming Pool Victoria Park – Photo SLWA
In 1972 access to, and the function of, Victoria Park changed when the land became the property of the Catholic Order of the Little Sisters of the Poor. An aged persons home, hospital and chapel have been constructed on what was once park land. Although the public are still able to use Victoria Park and the rotunda, it is no longer the focal park in Kalgoorlie, this role having been taken over by Hammond Park.
In 1910, a public drinking fountain was erected in the park. The drinking fountain was a gift from Mr George Doolette to the ratepayers, as a memento of the commonwealth celebrations. The four metre tall fountain was imported from London. The fountain had a tall lamp on top of the basin which was mounted on an octagonal pedestal. There does not seem to be an official record of what happened to the fountain but I was told that it was gifted to the Shire of Albany and is today located in a park in the town but I have not been able to find out if this is the case. Perhaps someone may have friends in Albany who may know.
Drinking Fountain Victoria Park – Photo SLWA
Photographic evidence shows arches in the park which were covered with creepers. The date when the arches were removed is unknown, but it is believed that they were present when the Little Sisters of the Poor were granted
Frames for creepers – Photo SLWA
ownership of Victoria Park. Small fountains, a wishing well, timber seats and litter bins positioned around the park existed in 1950 and some of the mature trees and plantings, the wishing well, small fountain, litter bins, arches and the drinking fountain no longer exist, the wishing well has now been relocated to Hammond Park. In 2001 the rotunda was also relocated to Hammond Park where it is now able to be enjoyed by new generations of Goldfields people.
Wishing well now re located to Hammond Park.
This poem was supposedly written by Herbert Hoover about a supposed affair he had with a barmaid at the Palace Hotel. The park referred to is purported to be Victoria Park but this couldn’t be the case as it wasn’t built when Hoover was here. Also, Hoover was not known at all for writing poetry, far from it, he was reported to have been an abysmal failure at literature – He almost did not pass his degree due to this, it was only the intervention of his geology professor that got him through. He is not known to have written any other poetry. I will leave it up to the reader to decide!!
Do you ever dream, my sweetheart, of a twilight long ago,
Of a park in old Kalgoorlie, where the Bougainville’s grow,
Where the moonbeams on the pathways trace a shimmering brocade,
And the overhanging peppers form a lovers’ promenade?
Where in soft cascades of cadence from a garden close at hand,
Came the murmurous, mellow music of a sweet, orchestral band.
Years have flown since then, my sweetheart, fleet as orchard blooms in May,
But the hour that fills my dreaming, was it only yesterday?
Victoria Park – Photo SLWA
Moya Sharp
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Oh! Moya – what a wonderful story about the wedding at Piccadilly! I’ll send you something later. Blessings Ted.
Thank you for your site- used for a Parliamentary discussion. it would seem to me that Herbert Hoover could have been referring to Victoria Park as I understand that it was built in 1898. It was the rotunda that was built in 1903, after Hoover had left the Goldfields. Again, thank you for your good work.
Best regards
Alannah MacTiernan
Hi Alannah, Thank you so much for your kind comments. Im prety sure that Hoover didnt write the poem, although it is an enduring myth. If you are interested, the following is an article on Mrs Lou Henry Hoover who I think was much more interesting.
https://www.outbackfamilyhistoryblog.com/2015/01/11/not-just-presidents-wife-lou-henry-hoover/
Bye for now Moya
Moya certainly brings back memories. Thank you. When I was a lad attending CBC there was a large old tree in the park said to have been planted by Herbert Hoover. Do you have any information on this.
Regards
Terence
If this is the first verse of the poem, what is the rest of the poem?
Sorry Jackie that was the whole poem.
I looked around and found another three verses or so.