A Sunbury park will now honour a beloved member of the community.
Sunbury Park, located at 60-100 Harker Street, will soon be renamed Mary Wicks Park, to commemorate the important role Mary played throughout her life within the Sunbury community.
The name was endorsed at the September 8 Hume council meeting, after the Wicks family suggested the name as a way of honouring their late mother.
In the proposal received by council in April 2024, the Wicks family stated that Mary spent the majority of her life living in Harker Street, next to the park that will soon be named after her.
Mary and her husband built their home at 71 Harker Street in 1967, where she remained up until her death in 2022. The top end of the park was originally a fenced paddock where the family kept horses, and the park was a treasured place for the family.
Throughout her life Mary contributed to the Sunbury community through volunteer work including volunteering for 21 organisations and groups across Sunbury, for which she received multiple awards and recognitions. These included an Australian Red Cross Outstanding Service Award, the Kathleen Aitken Outstanding Citizen Award as well as the Order of Australia Medal in 2019 for her service to the Sunbury community, which her family said was the highlight of her life.
Mary also helped fund many projects around town, including the Sunbury swimming pool, Sunbury Guide Hall, as well as the public hospital.
“Mum had some wonderful qualities and attributes that enabled her to have such an effective voluntary career and have such a fulfilled and active life,” the family wrote in their submission to council.
“This park has significant meaning to our family and is part of our story and history as long established Sunbury residents. I have no doubt that community support and gratitude would be felt if mum is bestowed the honour of the naming of this park after her.”
Community consultation was undertaken between April and May 2025, with 103 submissions received. Eighty-nine submissions were in support of the proposal.
Council will now submit the name Mary Wicks Park to the Registrar of Geographic Names for consideration and approval.
