MACQUARIE’S Flag Staff finally stands proud as a permanent memorial to the story of early Bathurst and the expansion of the colony.
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Bathurst mayor Gary Rush says the flag staff has been designed to tell the story of our shared history, of the original custodians of the land, the Wiradyuri, the proclamation of the settlement of Bathurst by Governor Lachlan Macquarie on May 7, 1815, and the evolution of Bathurst into the city of today.
The flag staff was reinstated at a special ceremony on Thursday.
The structure features a glass pyramid at the base of the 10-metre flag staff, showcasing the newly restored proclamation cairn.
Two of the glass panels tell Wiradyuri stories: one of Girawu (the tree goanna), and the other of Biladurang (platypus) dreaming.
The flag staff is located in the centre of the viewing concourse with a picturesque view over the Macquarie River. The edges of this concourse also features flowers dedicated to Governor Macquarie and his wife Elizabeth. They are the Governor Macquarie Rose and the Elizabeth Macquarie Iris.
Local architect Henry Bialowas designed the flag staff structure, and construction was undertaken by contracting company Tablelands Builders Bathurst at a cost of $750,000.
The project has been funded by Bathurst Regional Council, with assistance from the Federal Government ($250,000) and the NSW Government ($110,000).
This makes the flag staff the most significant initiative in Bathurst’s bicentenary year.
“This modern yet commemorative structure will be the quintessential representation of our city and how far we have come,” Cr Rush said.
“It will tell the story as witnessed by the traditional owners of the land, the Wiradyuri people, of the proclamation of Bathurst by the European settlers and create a significant new cultural tourist attraction for the region.
“It is from this place here on the banks of the Macquarie River that we can trace the very point which marks the opening up of inland Australia and the beginnings of the vast agricultural and pastoral lands west of the Blue Mountains by European settlers, which makes this place a site of national significance.”
The space is designed to be a place of contemplation as well as a lasting visual reminder of the bicentenary.
