and others who planted all the Illawarra Flame Trees are now mostly gone, but still there are still residents who care about Thirroul’s public gardens and want to make a difference.
In the few years since the demolition of the old Library and Senior Citizens Centre, and re-making of WF Jackson Park, a concerted effort has been made by several people and the results are now being appreciated by passers-by. It all helps to make Thirroul a real community of people who live here.
WF Jackson Park Consultations with Council staff resulted in trees being planted in and around the perimeter of the park, along with home-grown bottlebrush native shrubs provided by volunteers. Volunteers continue to attend to gardens they have made with trees, shrubs and hardy flowering plants. (They were very pleased when Council installed a water tap!)
Carpark surrounds, Railway Parade (Granny’s Garden) Starting two years ago, volunteers cleared the weeds and dead plants, renewing with fresh soil and mulch, new plants and young trees. Most have been home-grown, but some local businesses have contributed cash for plant purchases, and the Thirroul Village Committee funded purchases such as the watering equipment.
Decorating the traffic-controls box One of our volunteers painted an impression of how the corner might have looked when Granny Riach’s famous garden of jacarandas and flowers stood there nearly one hundred years ago.
Station Street - Thomas Gibson Park One volunteer has established a street garden there for many years, and since the new parking spaces were made beside Gibson Park, another person has established hardy gardens there too.
Thirroul Public School - Phillip St Another volunteer has done amazing work around the primary school – inside and out – with the steep, west-facing slopes of Phillip Street now crowded with colourful plantings.
Sea Foam Avenue road side gardens and nature stripes are also maintained by residents that live along that street.
Children’s Playground Park by the Beach is regularly tidied by another volunteer.
Thirroul Post Office has two little gardens outside the front that also maintain by another volunteer.