IT’S a park that many of us pass on our daily commute, but very few of us know the secret history behind its former glory.
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Local history sleuths are being called upon to help solve the mystery behind two plaques in Fuller Park, Uralla.
Council Heritage Adviser Mitch McKay said he was trying to find more information about the park’s past after stumbling upon the two sign posts one day.
The plaques detailed winning a Sydney Morning Herald garden award for the New England zone in 1971 and another is dedicated to Arthur Fuller.
“To win a garden award like that it must have been a very substantial garden,” he said.
But Mr McKay said despite his best efforts searching he had not been able to gather much information on what the garden looked like in its heyday.
“I’ve exhausted all avenues going through Trove,” he said.
Since his search began, he has been able to discover some information about Arthur Fuller.
Mr Fuller lived from 1908 to 1962 and during his time worked for Uralla Shire Council. He also was a keen gardener and worked hard to beautify public spaces in town.
“What I’ve gathered is that he worked in council for many years … he propagated the gardens himself and started entering competitions in Armidale and Glen Innes,” Mr McKay said.
He believes the key to finding out more may lie in anyone who also belonged to the now defunct Uralla Horticultural Society at the same time as Mr Fuller.
“It may be that they were young members in the 1950s and 1960s and would now be in their eighties,” he said.
“Or someone may have passed information about Arthur Fuller down to their family.”
Mr McKay urges anyone with more information on Fuller Park or Arthur Fuller to contact Melody Styles at Uralla Shire Council on 6778 6300.