Alistair Coe, the Shadow Minister for Heritage, welcomes the unveiling of signage at the Palmerville Heritage Park in northern Belconnen.

The site once featured a general store, post office, dwellings and a woolshed. In 1841, 68 people lived at the settlement including 15 convicts and 6 ticket-of-leave holders.

The area is named after George Palmer, an early pioneer and land owner. In my maiden speech on 9 December 2008, I said:

The first pioneer owner of the area of Ginninginninderra, as it was originally known, was Lieutenant George Thomas Palmer. The area was later known as Palmerville, and Palmer’s grants totalled 5,300 acres. Before coming to Australia, Palmer had served in the British forces against Napoleon. In 1806, he travelled to New South Wales on the Albion and settled as a free immigrant. By 1828, he ran almost 2,000 head of cattle and 6,000 sheep in the region. It was the determination of settlers such as Palmer which brought development to the region and, unknowingly, helped to lay the stones for a future capital city…”

It is extremely important we acknowledge the many people who have contributed to the development of our great city. The Canberra Liberals support publishing the history of the region so that all current and future generations will know of the great heritage we have in Canberra.