Catani Park on Lake Colac, Ondit

In the last post we looked at Red Rock Reserve, at Alvie, 15 kms from Colac.  The first time we came across Red Rock and the connection to Carlo Catani was in this article, published in the Colac Reformer, July 21, 1914.

The first and only mention of Catani Park near Colac, that we can find.

Colac Reformer  July 21, 1914

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/154147979?

As you can see, the article states that Catani Park at the Red Rock had been planted with trees and that it had also been renamed Meredith Park, after the Colac Shire President, Cr C. W. Meredith, who I believe was Charles William Meredith, farmer, of Warrion. He was married to Charlotte (nee Prime) who died at the age of 49 in 1909. Charles died in Geelong on September 3, 1933, aged 75. 

Being unfamiliar with the area, at first we thought that Catani Park was the original name for Red Rock Reserve, but  is clearly a different location. Catani Park/Meredith Park is north of Lake Colac, at Ondit, rather than near Lake Corangamite  at Alvie as Red Rock Reserve is. This is confirmed by the report below about tree planting at both Red Rock Reserve and Meredith Park.

The very busy Curator at the Colac Gardens had a lot of responsibilities including plating trees at Red Rock Reserve and Meredith Park.

The Colac Reformer, July 17, 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article159615344

The only mystery that remains is why was Catani Park named after Carlo originally and then changed to Meredith Park?  Perhaps it was named after Carlo in recognition of the work he did in having Red Rock Reserve set aside, but maybe Carlo would not accept the honour. Or did, he accept the honour, but then the local council decided to re-name it after one of their own? I don't know.

I have created a list of newspaper articles from Trove and websites on the Red Rock Reserve and the Kanawinka Geopark which it is now part of, you can access it, here.