Graceville Memorial Park

As one of few surviving recreational grounds from the 1880s, Graceville Memorial Park began and grew with the suburb of Graceville, which itself flourished as a result of the railway station that was established here in 1886.

Initially used as a lacrosse field, it was officially gazetted as the Graceville Recreation Reserve in 1904, whereupon a croquet and tennis club followed while during World War I the Graceville Methodist Church held Sunday School classes in a shed on the grounds. Then during the 1920s aviators used the fields as an aerodrome and a bridge club formed in the croquet premises.

It was after World War I with the outpouring of extreme grief at the losses of so many lives with no chance of home burial that the park was selected as a Memorial Park and a copper memorial scroll handmade by local Ernest Gunderson for the 51 dead Sherwood residents was unveiled (and still stands encased in sandstone and granite). Additionally a row of 52 memorial trees – a mix of cotton trees and bunya pines was planted along Plumridge and Appel Sts, some 40 of which survive today.

Also after WWI the park became a centre for cricket, with 3 ovals. The ornamental cricket grandstand hails from the Great Depression, built in 1936, and is one of 3 that still remain in memorial parks throughout Brisbane.

The other historical remnant building is the croquet club, built between 1924 and 1929 and still operational today.

All of the best things to do in Graceville