Rediscovering Ginninderra:
Mr William Lionel Moore
Born: 1930; Died: 2018; Married: Mavis [Bolton]
Lionel Moore was the son of early Canberra pioneers and although born in Sydney spent his life in this district. Lionel's wife Mavis was from the pioneer Bolton family of Ginninderra / Hall.
Lionel's parents were William Alexander McKenzie ('Bill') Moore and Lilly Rose Chuter who was English. His grandparents were William Moore (son of William E Moore) and Annie ('Dolly') McInnes, daughter of Duncan McInnes and Eliza Jane nee Crinigan.
Lionel's father worked at the garage behind the Hotel Canberra, Acton when he met Lily Chuter who was a waitress at the Hotel. After their marriage they moved to Sydney then back to his parents at 'The Valley' at Ginninderra. During WWII Bill was in the Air Force. 'The Valley' was very lonely for his mother. With only the sound of birds around her she would put the baby in the pram and walk up to the Cavanaghs at 'East View', a few miles along the Gundaroo Road.
Lionel and Mavis had two children, William Glenville (Billy) born 1959 (died in 2006), and a daughter born in 1966. Both children were badly handicapped but very loved.
Lionel's sister Shirley A.D.Moore, born May 11 1928 married Richard Solly and had two children Richard (1951) and Lynette (1957) who married Richard Todd.
Lionel and Mavis were the last occupants of 'Lowanna' cottage at Palmerville. They rented the house for 30/- a week from 'Chappie' Curran, son of the Ginninderra blacksmith. Chappie's daughter Buelah McAppion's interview about living at 'Lowanna' was in the Canberra Times on 12 October 2004.
In 1959 the CSIRO took over the Ginninderra land next to the Palmerville/old Ginninderra site, for an Experimental Field Station. Lionel and Mavis had to leave, but the local Member at the time, Jim Fraser found them a two bedroom house in O'Connor where they stayed until the children were born. They then moved to their final home at Watson. Mavis died in 2006. Following Lionel 's death in 2018 his house was bequeathed to Campy Quality, raising $761,000.
Lionel was proud to be associated with the signage installed in 2010 at Palmerville, now known as the Giralang Heritage Park. He was pictured with the Chief Minster Jon Stanhope at the opening and the last sign at the Heritage Park path depicts him in front of his old home site.