We received an application from Francesco Panucci’s family to rename Old Reub Hudson Oval at John Fisher Park Reserve, North Curl Curl, to Panucci Field.

The original Reub Hudson Oval (on Panucci’s former land) was relocated to the adjacent sportsfield as part of an upgrade, and the old oval became known as Old Reub Hudson Oval. The Hudson family support the proposed renaming.

This naming proposal is consistent with Council’s Naming Our Reserves, Facilities and Roads Policy.

Community feedback

We asked for your feedback on the proposal between 5 September and 6 October 2024, and received 98 responses. The majority of respondents supported the proposal, citing it as a fitting tribute to Francesco Panucci.

Who is Francesco Panucci?

Francesco Panucci and his family, who previously owned the land, established a market garden and sponsored Italian immigrants.

Italian and Chinese market gardens and sponsorship arrangements were common in the Curl Curl, Brookvale and Dee Why areas and contributed towards the rich multi-cultural and social history of the Northern Beaches.

The Panucci’s land was resumed by Council in 1970 to implement its planning scheme, and later became part of the Reub Hudson Sporting Complex. One olive tree from the Panuccis' orchard remains outside the Creative Space, and in 2003 a plaque was placed under this tree to highlight its historical significance. The Creative Space garden is also known as Panucci Gardens.