The memorial and reason for the naming of Victoria Park up on the Port Hills.
The area was first chosen in 1870 but it took over 10 years before any development such as planting was done. William Moore lived on site by 1886 and was selling refreshments to the visitors venturing around the park.
In 1897, Queen Victoria was celebrating her diamond jubilee and the park was officially opened and named by the Honourable William Rolleston. William was the 4th and last Superintendant of Canterbury from 1868 to 1877. At the time of the opening William was the Member of Parliament for Riccarton.
Victoria Park is infamous for the Parker/Hulme murder in 1954. Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme lured Pauline’s mother, Honora Parker, to Victoria Park where they killed her with a brick in a stocking. This story has been brought to a whole new generation with the release of the movie, ‘Heavenly Creatures’.
*photo taken by Annette Bulovic*
