Victoria Park, Great Western Highway, St Marys

Victoria Park, also known as Victoria Square and O'Connell's Square, was originally laid out as a town square in a village subdivision by Maurice O'Connell in 1842. In 1872 the park was sold but was returned to the community after the residents contested the sale in the Supreme Court. A local tanner, Alfred Alcock enlarged the park in 1892. The rotunda, designed by Sydney architect Alexander Carfrae and constructed by Eli Exley, was built in 1922 as a memorial to the soldiers of World War I. It was opened by Sir Charles Rosenthal on 18 November 1922. The large Bunya Pine was reportedly 150 years old and was one of two in the park removed by the Department of Main Roads when the highway was widened in 1984.