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Frederick Turley
Queens Park has association with the life and work of Frederick Turley, who oversaw much of the planting and landscape features that are still evident today, and with other curators and gardeners who conserved the Park.
After 26 years as curator, Frederick Turley retired in December 1935. By then he was responsible for the management of 13 city parks. At a Council function on 9 December, Mayor Alderman Stephenson and other Aldermen paid him tribute for his service to the city. Despite the limited funds available to him, Council credited Turley for transforming the park and establishing a reputation throughout the Commonwealth and in America as a botanist and propagator of bougainvillea and other shrubs. In thanking Council for their tribute Turley warned against over-developing the park. “I now hope that no one will attempt to improve Queens Park because he will only make a mess of it”. He added “The hill, very appropriately known as Lovers’ Walk, for it is very popular with lovers, is too beautiful naturally to be improved to any extent”. While pleased with the bougainvillea he had propagated, he was most proud of the trees he had planted, especially on Limestone Hill.
Turley retired to Wynnum. His wife, Jessie (nee Reid), died in November 1929. In 1928 Frederick and Jessie had holidayed in England and on the return voyage she fell ill from the heat and never fully recovered. Turley married Grace Waters, a former Matron of Ipswich Hospital, in 1930 and died in Wynnum in 1947, aged 84, leaving his widow and son from his first marriage, Frederick Reid Turley (born 1896). Another son, Captain Edward Price Turley (born 1892) died in 1941.
Many of Frederick Turley's plantings survive, including trees lining Brisbane Road and plantings of the bougainvillea that he helped to popularise.
The initial moves towards a zoo began in 1910 with the donation of an emu. Turley already had a wallaby and goldfish and a cassowary was soon donated, along with other animals in 1913. Since then animal enclosures have been a feature of the park in various guises.
References (offline)Queens Park Ipswich Conservation Management Plan 2021References (online)Valedictory. Presentations to Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Turley. The Toowoomba Chronicle, Thu 26 Aug 1909, p3Annuals. Paper by Mr. F. W. Turley. Queensland Times, Sat 12 Jul 1913, p7Lecture by Mr. F. W. Turley. The Southern Mail, Tue 4 Jan 1921, p2Travels Abroad. England for Beauty. Interview with Mr. F. W. Turley. Queensland Times, Mon 3 Sep 1928, p6Death of Mrs. F. W. Turley. The Telegraph, Tue 5 Nov 1929, p2Mrs. F. W. Turley. The Week, Fri 8 Nov 1929, p40Snow in Ipswich. Queensland Times, Mon 3 Sep 1934 p6Lasting Tribute. Beauties of Ipswich. Queensland Times, Tue 10 Dec 1935 p6Noted Curator Mr. F. W. Turley Retires, The Telegraph, Sat 4 Jan 1936, p20Mr. F. W. Turley, 25 years as Curator. Queensland Times, Sat 1 Sep 1934, p12Ipswich Gardens A Source of Joy. Mr. F. W. Turley's Work. The Telegraph, Sat 6 Oct 1934, p14Bougainvillea - and How! Queensland Times, Thu 3 Jan 1946, p2Former Ipswich Park Curator Passes. Queensland Times, Wed 26 Mar 1947, p3