Thomas Wall

There were 43 applications to replace Frederick Turley (Parks Curator), the decision to a council ballot. G. G. Worman of New Farm Park was defeated (3 votes to 7) by Thomas Wall of Booval, an amateur local gardener. Thomas has worked as an engine driver at Box Flat mine and studied horticulture in his spare time. He was said to have had good knowledge of landscape gardening, winning some 278 prizes at horticultural shows, being an active member of the Ipswich Horticultural Society and ran his own nursery for five years before being appointed as the new Park Curator. During his career, he judged at the Kalbar Show and was well-known as a lecturer on gardening, bush-house and hot-house plants.

Thomas was 41 years old at the time of his appointment in 1935, and lived in Green Street, Booval. By January 1936 Thomas had expressed some ideas to improve on the park. Queensland Times expressed the belief that the park was inadequate at the time, citing a lack of infrastructure and lawns. They discussed a desire from residents to have a wider range of animals within the park for the entertainment of the children.

Wall introduced ideas to improve the glasshouse (although this did not happen immediately) and the attached pens (that accommodated cockatoos and guinea pigs) to develop a zoo. The zoo plans proceeded with a number of donations made including rabbits, possums, wallaby, galahs, pigeons, cockatoos, plovers and curlews, with plans to build cages news the bamboo near the incinerator. There were also plans to build a pond as a sanctuary for wild birds. In 1936 enclosures were built to accommodate a menagerie that included emus, kangaroos and ducks and at one time had koalas, dingos and a fox. Dingoes were part of the animal collection until 1998. Another pen was built that year near the croquet court to house birds and a cage for the possum. A crocodile enclosure was added in 1938 after a crocodile was donated to the Ipswich Municipal Zoo by Mr. Josiah Francis after a trip to Darwin. The Queensland Times reported increasing visitor numbers as people went to see the animals.

In 1950 Thomas wrote an advice column on how to care for lawns in Ipswich in the Queensland Times. This article also gave information on a commercial tree planting venture.

In 1959 Thomas wall retired and George Palmer was appointed Park Curator in July.