I respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land of Lawley Park, Western Australia -the Menang people - and I would also like to pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Lawley Park was opened as a public garden in 1902, but it was the site of many historical events before this.
Prior to European exploration and settlement, the area was called Kinjarling, which means “the place of rain”, and evidence from archaeological excavations dates back over 18,000 years.
In December 1801, Matthew Flinders camped on the shoreline of Lawley Park, where there was a source of fresh water from a soak. In the early 1830s, Wollaston House (known as Stirling Castle) was built here.
Lawley Park was the site of the original Albany Gaol, notorious for damp, overcrowding, and its high rate of escapees! It was also the site of the first government school, the first courthouse and the first tennis courts in the region.
In 1897 planning was made for turning Lawley Park into a public garden; this was approved in June 1899 and opened in 1902.
Lawley Park is now the home of multiple memorials recognising different events and is used for picnics by visitors and locals alike. It has views of the harbour and the artwork on the silos, and is home to a variety of mature pine, plane and oak trees. Enjoy your visit, but please be aware of the wildlife and don't put your hands where you can't see them!