One of the three spots in the Municipality retaining large areas of native bushland. It’s worth as a recreation area was recognised as far back as 1885 when the Government was asked to purchase land from the Cooper Estate for recreational purposes. It was not until 1913 the Sir William Cooper agreed to give the whole of the gully from Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill to Manning Road, Double Bay to the Council as a park. The land, to be known as Cooper Park, was formally dedicated to Woollahra Council on 14th May 1917. Subsequent additions over the years have brought the Park up to its present area of 17.5 hectares. The creek running through the Park is largely natural and follows the line of a volcanic dyke of Jurassic age, while the hillsides support a wide variety of native trees and shrubs. Development over the years included extensive walking tracks and paths, with shelter sheds built and picnic areas laid out.
Cooper Park Timeline
The stone columns were originally from the Sydney G.P.O. before being moved to Elizabeth Bay House, then Vaucluse House and finally to Cooper Park in 1994.
Photograph taken for the 1982 Woollahra exhibition ‘Beautiful Woollahra’ displayed at Bondi Junction Plaza.
The open air concert was performed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and was attended by approximately 20,000 people.
One in a season of highly popular concerts performed by the SSO in the park.
Plaque reads:
MUNICIPALITY OF WOOLLAHRA COOPER PARK
TO COMMEMORATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS WALL AND OTHER IMPROVEMENT WORKS FOR THE PUBLIC WELFARE IN THIS PARK CARRIED OUT BY THE UNEMPLOYED RELIEF WORKERS IN THE YEAR 1936 DURING THE MAYORALTY OF ALDERMAN K.D. MANION.
J.C. LOUGH, TOWN CLERK
Monuments and Memorials in Woollahra, original survey 1987, supplemented 1993/1994, compiled by the Woollahra History and Heritage Society.
The turreted house in the background is ‘Logan Brae’ built about 1880-90 for William Smith and possibly designed by James Barnet. It was later owned by Jame Kirkpatrick a well known architect. Landscaping including the introducAon of a number of structural elements of Cooper Park was carried out by Woollahra Council during the 1930’s. The terracing and laying out of the steps at Bellevue Road end of the park was carried out in 1936 using men eligible for work under the ‘Emergency Relief Work Scheme’.
The massive works program which transformed Cooper Park in the 1930’s was largely carried out by relief labour under the ‘Emergency Relief Work Scheme’. Shown here under construcAon is the entrance from Victoria Road – an imposing flight of stone steps – and earthworks of the newly terraced slopes.
Concrete reinforced with old tram line and crazy stonework laid on top. Landscaping including the introduction of a number of structural elements of Cooper Park was carried out by Woollahra Council during the 1930’s
Landscaping, including the the introduction of a number of structural elements of Cooper Park was carried out by Woollahra Council during the 1930’s.
