Liverpool City Council celebrated the restoration of Haigh Park with a community Block Party recognising the environmental, cultural and community importance of the Georges River site.
The Caring for Country Celebration Block Party brought together local residents, community organisations and First Nations representatives to celebrate improvements to the long-established park.
Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun said Haigh Park was an important place for both the environment and the local community.
“Haigh Park is a beautiful part of the Georges River, but it is also a place with deep cultural significance,” Mayor Mannoun said.
“This area has been important to Aboriginal people for generations, and today it remains an important meeting place for our local First Nations community, including the Liverpool Elders Coffee Club. Led by Uncle Dennis Smith, Aunty Anne and Aunty Lexy Carrol, the Elders Coffee Club does amazing work caring for this park, coming together every Friday to clean the lake, look after the native plantings and help maintain this important meeting place.
“The restoration works we are celebrating today show what can be achieved when government, community and local organisations work together to care for an important place. The project has delivered new sandstone along the foreshore, bush regeneration and native planting, water quality monitoring, bird and shorebird monitoring and a new Bush Tucker Garden.
“New educational and cultural signage will also help visitors understand the Indigenous heritage of this site and the traditional knowledge connected to the Georges River.”
The project was funded through the NSW Government’s Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan Caring for Country Council Grants Program, delivered by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure in partnership with the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC).
Mayor Mannoun thanked the NSW Government and WSROC for their partnership with Liverpool City Council: “Importantly, today is also about bringing people together,” he said.
“Haigh Park is a place where culture, community and the environment come together. Today’s Block Party is a chance for the community to enjoy the improvements, learn about the history and culture of this special place, and celebrate the local people and organisations who help care for it.”
The celebration featured a First Nations-led Welcome, cultural activities, family entertainment, food and refreshments from local businesses, and activities highlighting the environmental and cultural significance of Haigh Park.
Councillors Zeli Munjiza, Emmanuel Adjei and members of the Liverpool Elders Coffee Club at the Haigh Park community Block Party.
