Jesmond Park
Jesmond Park is a large picnic ground in a bushland setting to its southern boundary. It is a popular destination for families to enjoy barbeque parties and wedding photography, mainly due to its vast rose garden and other flower beds.
The park is well shaded and has plenty of room for many people to spread out under its shady trees or find a patch of sunlight to picnic in. The park has several paths, a nearby cycleway, and a number of well-formed trails which lead through the bush. This playground has swings and a picnic table with barbecue facilities, plus a large, grassy field for kids to play on.
Perhaps the only letdown of this park is that it doesn’t have enough toilet facilities. In fact, it only has one complex which can be found on the western side of the field. This can be a bit of an issue for the elderly and young children who might have difficulty controlling the urge to pee.
Historically, the Lambton Colliery, a Scottish Australian Mining Company, was a key character in the establishment of Jesmond Park. However, it is just one of the three of Newcastle’s pride in terms of its finest recreation reserves, which also include Lambton Park and Blackbutt Reserve. A great place to also visit is Newcastle Museum.
The Jesmond Pard was not officially dedicated until 1924, but it had a long history of recreational use before that time. From the beginning, this area was used for competitive pigeon shooting. Lambton’s early operations included a mine and an area known as ‘Dark Creek’.
It became a popular picnic spot, known as “Crowdace’s Paddock,” presumably because the permission of Thomas Crowdace, the colliery manager, was required for the use of the area.
Many churches, schools, and community groups would have regular picnics in this park, sometimes with flocks of attendees. The site was very accessible as it is within walking distance from Lambton, North Lambton and Jesmond. Discover More about Newcastle here.
It became easier to travel to this park because the Newcastle to Wallsend tramway was constructed in 1887. Within this time, this great bushland nature within the picnic site was somewhat modified when the Campion’s soap and tallow works adjoining Dark Creek were established.
It was in 1908 that the Lambton Council and local residents started a petition to officially set the area as a park.
Their efforts were rewarded in 1923 when the manager of the colliery, Frederick Croudace, who is the son of Thomas, gave them the 22 acres of land that soon became the Jesmond Park that we now know.
Even way before the park was acquired officially, the Jesmond Cricket Club was requesting to lay a wicket. The park soon became a very popular venue for various sports, including soccer and football.
There is a tennis court in the northeast corner of the park that was constructed in 1925, and there’s also a new Jesmond Park tram stop that opened in 1926, which is in line with Steel Street.
In 1938, the City of Newcastle gained control over Jesmond Park from Lambton Council. They still manage and maintain the park as of this writing.
Embedded Driving Directions from Jesmond Park to Newcastle Museum
Written Driving Directions from Jesmond Park to Newcastle Museum
Start: Jesmond Park
Continue to follow A15
Continue to follow A43
Go through 2 roundabouts
Destination will be on the right
End: Newcastle Museum
Embedded Driving Directions from WASP Industries to Jesmond Park
Written Driving Directions from WASP Industries to Jesmond Park
Start: WASP Industries
Get on New England Hwy/A43 from Weakleys Dr
Follow A43 and Newcastle Inner City Bypass/A37 to Robinson Ave in Newcastle
