The Paddington Society and Woollahra Council formally recognise the valuable contribution Peter Poland OAM made to the preservation and protection of history and heritage in the Woollahra Local Government Area during his life, and the collaborative way in which he worked with Council and Council staff on many local history initiatives.
Strickland House today
The Council has recommended that the Mayor writes to the managing authority for Strickland House, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, to request an appropriate commemoration of the work of Peter Poland OAM and June Poland OAM in saving Strickland House as a public asset, by way of a memorial plaque, seat plaque, or similar item, in consultation with the Poland family, to offer an honourable and permanent form of recognition on the site.
Council also intends to commemorates the lives and contributions of Peter and June Poland, by acknowledging their contributions to our area and the Woollahra Libraries local history library collection, through a memorial plaque to be placed on a bench seat to be included in the upcoming renovations and native plantings on the Woollahra Library balcony.
Learn more about Peter and June’s contribution to heritage and the community in this excerpt from Woollahra Municipal Council.
“Peter Lawrence Poland OAM was born on 24 June 1932 in Portsmouth, England into a naval family. Many of his school years coincided with World War II, about which he wrote in his later life. He began his naval training as a cadet in 1946 and after a visit to Sydney, he married the love of his life, June Georgina Anderson, in 1956. Peter’s naval career took him to England, Malta and Singapore.
In 1972 the Poland family returned to Sydney and established a home in Rose Bay. After retiring from naval duties, Peter was employed as an executive for the retail outlet Waltons. In 1987, by the time he retired, June was already well engaged in a range of heritage conservation issues and a member of various Council committees. Peter and June were founding members of the Woollahra History and Heritage Society and together they became a force to be reckoned with. Their partnership and shared commitment to local history and heritage was second to none.
Peter served as President of the Society from 1990 until 2023. Peter and June helped foster public interest and awareness in the area’s history and through their leadership they collected and shared many historical references and resources, many of which have boosted the Woollahra Libraries Local History collection and informed Council decisions. Peter’s naval history, local knowledge and written work informed many walks, talks, re-enactments and flag displays marking significant voyages. The South Head Signal Station was a significant site for many of these events and held a special place in Peter’s heart.
During Peter’s life, he gave much acclaim to June, especially when it came to the topic of Strickland House/Carrara. Together they championed the significance of this estate and the need to retain public access to the site and block attempts by the State Government to commercialise the estate. They also celebrated the Open House days with contagious enthusiasm in effort to promote broader community greater awareness of its heritage significance. Their efforts were backed by the Woollahra History and Heritage Society, earning them a National Trust Heritage Award for a 27-year advocacy effort, that Peter highlighted as his most significant campaign achievement. Woollahra Council shared their concerns and moved to support the protection of Strickland House. The property was listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2012 and in 2018 ownership was transferred to National Parks and Wildlife Service. Another important win for local history and heritage.
With Peter at the helm, and June by his side, the Woollahra History and Heritage Society instigated and corrected historical plaques, namely the one marking the demise of The Dunbar, at South Head and they also instigated a commemorative plaque to honour Aboriginal leader, Bungaree
A restored Salisbury Court, or Rose Bay Cottage, pictured in 2010. By Adam.J.W.C.
They were not shy of a battle in the name of heritage conservation and protection. Armed with solid research, facts and a shared determination, they prevented housing on the grounds of the property Hawthornden and stopped the obstruction of public harbour views by a proposed marina development at Rose Bay, as well as the saving of Rose Bay Lodge (essentially the oldest surviving house on the Point Piper estate) through a Permanent Protection Order granted in 1984, which saw the house eventually and faithfully restored and added to the NSW State Heritage Register in 1999.
Their work with the Society also produced heritage listings for Nielsen Park, the Hermitage Walk, Rushcutters Bay Park and the Rose Bay Sea Wall and Promenade. Individually and collectively Peter and June were formally recognised and celebrated.
In 1995 they won the Woollahra Citizen of the Year Award for their participation, commitment and involvement in the care of Woollahra. In 2005 they were awarded the NSW Government Heritage Volunteer Award for being a formidable team and distinguished heritage specialists.
June was posthumously awarded an OAM in 2015 and Peter was similarly awarded an OAM in 2015. In 2016 he received the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet Community Service Award for 30 years of heritage protection. Peter and June were regular contributors and supporters of the Woollahra Libraries Local History collection.
Local history librarians Jane Britten and Libby Watters provided this citation on the Polands, to support an award nomination:Peter and June established early and enduring links with Woollahra Library’s Local History staff, sharing their knowledge and resources with the library, enthusiastically promoting our program and lending their visible support.
June and Peter donated their time and expertise to many of Woollahra Council’s endeavours and became relied upon for their considerable knowledge of the history and heritage of the local and wider area. We had great respect for all they achieved, and we also valued their friendship. The recommendations included in this Mayoral Minute offer further formal commendation for the commitment of Peter and June to the protection, preservation and celebration of our local history and heritage.In recent years Peter was a regular attendee at the Woollahra Plaques Scheme unveilings. He was fond of a plaque as a way of remembering our past and those who made a positive contribution to our community. It seems fitting that we do the same in honour of Peter and June.”
– Councillor Sarah Swan, Mayor of Woollahra
