STOTT'S PADDOCK

The area now known as Billy Dunn Park was originally known as Stotts Paddock.

Thelma Jackson used to take the house cow down to the paddock after school during the 1920s.

View of Stotts paddock from the newly built public school, circa 1960
Source: Ailsa Campbell

View of Stotts paddock from the newly built public school, circa 1960
Source: Ailsa Campbell

View of Stotts paddock from the newly built public school, circa 1960
Source: Ailsa Campbell

View of Stotts paddock from the newly built public school, circa 1960s
Source: Ailsa Campbell

The Stott families planted a Chinese Elm tree and placed a plaque on a rock. The plaque reads: 

This site was farmed by John and Sarah Ann Stott, early settlers in Gulgong, circa 1858, then became a sporting field known as Stott's Paddock.

Plaque

Stott Families planting a Chinese Elm

The Chinese Elm

BILLY DUNN PARK

Billy Dunn Park is named after William Fraser Dunn who was a school teacher, a Captain in the 35th Australian Infantry Battalion in WWI and a politician. He taught at Bayly Provisional School on Hayes Gap Rd (Havilah Lane) outside Mudgee.

Minister for Agriculture for New South Wales Mr Bill Dunn, ca. 1925

Agricultural minister William Fraser Dunn reading on a chaise lounge, New South Wales, ca. 1930s

Portrait of William Fraser Dunn, NSW Secretary for Lands, in his office, (1946?)

1954 - Proposal to Honour Memory of Late "Billy" Dunn

A proposal to rename Stott's Paddock was agreed to at last meeting of Gulgong Shire Council. The Chamber of Commerce wrote as follows: —

"Some years ago a public meeting held in regard to the development of Stott's paddock as a park and recreation area, resolved to ask the Council to have the area named 'Dunn Park' as a means of honouring the then State Member, Hon. W. F. Dunn, M.L.A., now deceased. The late Hon. Dunn's record is well known to your Council, and this Chamber respectfully suggests that the Council take action in accordance with the wishes of the public meeting referred to thus five the town a reason to perpetuate his memory OR, the Council might consider some other form of Memorial to honour his name."

Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 2 Dec 1954 Page 10

Mr. Dunn, Minister for Agriculture 8/8/1951