Mark Whalan
16 December 2023, 11:08 PM
This is an appeal to the community, especially around Gerringong, for any details or history of these gates.
Quite close to the Gerringong Museum, and on the way to Cronin Cval are the remains of the Jubilee Park Gate on either side of Blackwood Street, north and south.
The gate is now about 88 years old. No remains of the actual fate seem to exist, just the pillars on either side of the road.
The Bugle is asking the local community if they have any details on the Jubilee Park Gates and the early history of Jubilee Park which was obviously bigger when created as the park must have included Blackwood Street where the gate was situated.
The Silver Jubilee of King George V was held on 5 May 1935 and marked 25 years since he took the throne. He was succeeded a year later by his son Edward VIII, who abdicated within the year and was replaced by Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI.
The Gerringong Museum is currently researching our question on the history of these gates, and would love to add more of the gate’s history for the Gerringong and wider community to their files.
Apparently, the Kiama Independent covered the installation of the Gates in an article published 15 August, 1936. This can be found on a search on Trove, the free online research portal operated by the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
Further notes via Trove say that the gates and the new sports pavilion were officially opened on Saturday 14 November, 1936 by H. J Bate MLA.
The article stated the reconstruction of the sports ground was undertaken by Kiama Council with emergency relief work and much voluntary assistance by the citizen’s committee.
One little known fact is the porcelain drinking fountain that was erected in 1939 was famous across Australia after being featured in the iconic Aussie film “Dad and Dave.”