I thank the Randwick Petersham Cricket Club for hosting the spectacular Petersham Park Community Day on Sunday 6 November, and unveiling the newly renamed Hughes family-Dudley Seddon Memorial Grandstand.
After the completion of its much-needed upgrades, our Inner West Council decided to rename Petersham Park's grandstand to better recognise the historical legacy of the grounds. The name of the grandstand originally recognised Dudley Seddon who played cricket for Petersham from 1915 to 1943.
This new addition serves to acknowledge the integral role of the Hughes family in the Petersham Cricket Club's history. As players, administrators and volunteers, their involvement spanned sixty-four years. The Hughes family left an absolutely remarkable legacy.
As a cricket icon in the Petersham area, Noel Hughes was a Life Member of Petersham Marrickville cricket and passed this passion onto his sons, Gary, Mark, and Graeme. In 2000, Noel and his wife, Patricia, were awarded the Australian Sports Medal by the Governor-General. In 2010, they were again both honoured with Cricket Australia's 50 Years' Service Medal.
Thank you to our Randy Petes and to all the brilliant local clubs that came together in the name of cricket!