Councillor John Tate
Lord Mayor
Newcastle City Council
King Street
Newcastle  NSW

Dear John,

Birdwood Park Dedication

I would like to thank you for accepting the copie of the original Australian Agricultural Company Deed of Dedication for Birdwood Park No.558 Book 440 and the letter from the Newcastle Town Clerk dated the 27 January 1972 at the ceremony in the park on Saturday the 2nd . The Deed includes both the Centennial Park, as well as the Birdwood Park.

Now that the Hunter Street and railway over bridge is not to be built, the Parks and Playgrounds Movement would like council to dedicate the whole park as it now stands and classify the area as Community Land. The area should be managed with the landscape plan which has now been implemented.

Parks and Playgrounds Movement congratulates everyone who has helped in revamping the Birdwood Park landscape and we are pleased to see Council's creative approach to the area.

The letter from Mr. Burges advises that an area of Council freehold land will be dedicated as Public Reserve to compensate for the area that was affected by road purposes.

I would be please if you could inform the movement of the area of Council freehold land that Mr. Burges dedicated as compensation for the road construction in the park.

Thanks in appreciation,

Yours sincerely,

Doug Lithgow
Parks and Playgrounds Movement


Tuesday, 5 September 2000

The Editor
Newcastle Herald
Bolton Street

Dear Sir,
Birdwood Park

Parks and Playgrounds Movement congratulates everyone who helped in revamping the Birdwood Park landscape. N.H. 4/9/2000. Its good to see a creative approach to the area after  years of neglect.

The Australian Agricultural Company's original 1890 three acre grant was on condition that it be "used as a place of public recreation and for no other use whatsoever".

The Deed of Dedication No.558 Book 440 reserves the right to re-enter the land if the dedication is breached.

A previous Newcastle Council in 1973 with the concurrence of the Minister for Highways broke that trust and thrust a major highway through the park and reduced the dedicated area to a mere one acre.

Parks and Playgrounds Movement had called a Public Meeting in the park on the 2nd of May 1971 to seek a less damaging alignment for the road but the council was adamant.

On the morning of Thursday 1st of March 1973 all hell broke loose as Council began the destruction of the park. The Mayor's home was picketed by protesters that night .

A huge Public Meeting was held in the City Hall on Thursday the 8th of March and from that meeting the Newcastle Resident Action Movement was borne.