Wharf Park is named for the Government Wharf which once stood on the riverbank and was once the lifeblood of Murwillumbah.
The lack of satisfactory roads meant that the Tweed River became the main arterial route for the transport of people and goods.
The importance of river transport declined with the advent of the railway, the building of the Murwillumbah bridge in 1901 and improved roads.
A weathered timber pole reclaimed from a demolished timber bridge is a focal point of the park project, hosting signs with images and historical information about the steamers which once plyed the river.
The toilet block is screened from the road by a perforated metal screen featuring an image of the passenger steamer ‘Uki’ in 1903, against the backdrop of the original Murwillumbah Bridge.
Although the park honours the past, there’s nothing old about the rest of the $158,000 project.
The up-grade was made possible through a $61,600 grant as part of the Federal Labor Government’s Accessible Communities initiative while the Tweed Shire Council contributed $75,900 to the project.
And what did the money buy? The upgrade of Wharf Park includes a new all access toilet block in the Murwillumbah CBD, a new fully accessible concrete pathway which will be built for access to the toilet block, and new park furniture including a drinking fountain and picnic setting which are all fully wheel chair accessible.
In congratulating the Tweed Shire Council for the completion of the project Federal Member for Richmond Justine said the new park will benefit the whole community.
“The Accessible Communities initiative reflects the principles and core outcomes of the National Disability Strategy; better access to public buildings and spaces will increase the opportunities for people with disability to achieve social inclusion, enjoy choice, wellbeing and an increased opportunity to live as independently as possible,” she said.
“The completion of projects like the upgrade of Wharf Park is a great success which will benefit for the whole Tweed community.”
Pic: Ron Douglas, Justine Elliot and Mayor Cr Barry Longland at the opening of the new facilities at Wharf Park.
