At last, Henry Kendall has come home to rest
From the Spring 2007 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
L - R: Artist, Dee Davis; president of the
Kendall Historical Society, Kevin
O’Donaghue; and Forests NSW regional
manager, Kathy Jones, at the unveiling
of the sculpture of Henry Kendall.
Photo by Lyndal Coote
A statue of Henry Kendall, the man who became the first Commissioner for Forests in New South Wales and in whose honour the town of Camden Haven was renamed, was unveiled in June in Kendall.
“Sir Henry Parkes, then NSW Premier, appointed Kendall to the position in August 1881 at the same time as a small branch was established in the Lands Department to supervise and protect the colony’s first forest reserves,” said Forests NSW Central Region manager, Kathy Jones.
“The reserves had been proclaimed to allay fears that pioneering settlers, left to their own devices, would soon strip the colony of all forests.
“Kendall took his job seriously, as he had a deep love of the bush and had worked in the timber industry. He made several arduous horseback tours to the far flung 460 reserves that then existed to check them at first hand.”
Kendall, a frail man whose health had been ravaged by destitution and wild living, died at the age of 43, only 16 months after taking office.
He described himself as Henry Kendall N.A.P.,’native Australian poet’, a true description.
Speaking at the unveiling of the granite statue, local resident and historian Elaine van Kempen complimented the Kendall Heritage Society, in particular Ron Haswell as instigator, for their dedication to both Kendalls – Henry and the village – by making him a permanent resident once again.
Forests NSW made a financial contribution to the Kendall sculpture project.
Henry Kendall was buried at the Waverly cemetery, Sydney, in 1882. He had lived in the Camden Haven for five years, with the village renamed Kendall in 1891. See www.kendall.org.au for more information.
Public Affairs & Media, Coffs Harbour
