Council honours Tim Fischer with the naming of Community Park

Published on 26 July 2019

Federation Council has re-named the Boree Creek Community Park in honour of former Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer AC, who hails from Boree Creek. Mr Fisher grew up in Boree Creek where he later farmed in between his long and distinguished career, including service in the Vietnam War.

After returning from Vietnam Tim continued farming until entering Federal politics in 1971.  Tim held many roles in both opposition and in Government, culminating in Deputy Prime Minister, Leader of the National Party, from 1990, and Deputy Prime Minister when the coalition won Government, in 1996.  Tim resigned from politics in 2001 to spend more time with his family and other pursuits, including his love for Trains.  Tim is active across many fronts and most notably, served as Australia first Ambassador to the Holy Sea from 2008 – 2012.

On Sunday 21 July, a special event occurred, to honour this service to his country, and for never forgetting Boree Creek, where it all began for Tim, and a place he feels very much where his heart is.

Around 80 locals, including family and friends of Tim, joined his wife Judy, son Dominic, local member for Albury Justin Clancy, Mayor of Federation Council Pat Bourke were present.  Also, around 200 train passengers, on board a classic 47 Diesel Locomotive called the Riverina Spirit, who had travelled from Albury on the train with Tim, all joined in to surprise Tim with this announcement, and to unveil a special sign to signify the Parks new name.  

Those on the train embarked on a special train journey with Tim, from Albury to Boree Creek, as a fundraiser for the Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre, and to give those on the train a chance to experience a different form of tourism.  Tim is very keen to still promote the rural areas and has hopes now that the renaming of the Park will add further interest to the area and encourage more people to take the trip to Boree Creek.

Federation Council Mayor, Cr Patrick Bourke said Council endorsed at its July Meeting to re-name the Park to the Tim Fischer Community Park, in honour of Mr Fischer, and planned this event in conjunction with the Boree Creek Community Committee and Phil and Jenny Baker from the Boree Creek Hotel. 

Mayor Bourke said “The community of Boree Creek and surrounds warmly welcomed Tim and passengers where a ceremony was held and the park name and sign was unveiled.  The decision to re-name the park was first raised by Boree Creek residents and supported by Federation Council”.

“It was fantastic to see a passenger train visit Boree Creek. The last time this occurred was many years ago,” said Mayor, Cr Patrick Bourke.

Mayor Bourke also said “I’d also like to thank and acknowledge the support of Stuart Patey, Chair of the Boree Creek Community Committee, and Jenny and Phil Baker from the Boree Creek Hotel.  They Hotel did a terrific job also in the catering on the day, and it was great to see such a crowd in town, with Tim and his family amongst the crowd.”

Tim responded after the event and said “I was completely taken by surprise by the kind decision of locals in consultation and liaison with Federation Council to launch the Tim Fischer Community Park. The ceremony was brilliantly timed and all went really well, indeed the packed special train passengers were delighted to observe and they made it back safely to Albury and on time.

I would ask Council to accept my sincere thanks and I would add the Community Park is in really good shape and looking very nice, albeit another burst of rain would help town park and district.   The Boree Creek Community Committee do a wonderful job.

Can I especially commend the sign and the blue colour of the sign, really great work by all directly involved. I hope in a roundabout way the renaming will help draw more visitors to Boree Creek, especially in Autumn and Spring.  Again my sincere and heartfelt thanks, for myself but also on behalf of Judy and my family”.

In addition to the sign, Council with community support will also be commissioning a plaque that outlines just some of Tim’s service and accomplishments, so that visitors in years to come will all be able to stop and understand and learn more about Tim Fisher, and the reason why this park is known as Tim Fisher Park.  There could also be some more public art initiatives in the future, so watch this space.