New WW1 war memorial opens in Maryborough

21 July 2018

New WW1 war memorial opens in Maryborough

• Stage 2 of the Fraser Coast Military Trail has opened in Maryborough, Queensland
• The Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial depicts the Allied landing at Gallipoli in 1915
• The Coalition Government invested $900,000 in the project

The Fraser Coast Military Trail is a step closer to completion with a series of sculptures honouring the ANZACs installed at the Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial site in Queens Park, Maryborough today.

 Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien said an ANZAC landing boat sculpture and an interpretive screen which features a laser-etched image of the first landing at Gallipoli in April 1915 will now take pride of place on the trail.

“The new memorial commemorates Australia’s First World War campaign. Enhancing the significance and appeal of the Fraser Coast Military Trail will help attract even more tourists to the region, with 12,000 people expected to visit each year once it’s completed,” Mr O’Brien said.

Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government John McVeigh said the new memorial had been thoughtfully planned to reflect the depth of feeling people still have for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the ‘Great War’.

“I met with the local RSL and other members of the community about this fantastic project earlier in the year. They’ve been working tirelessly to get it up and running and I along with the rest of the community look forward to seeing the finished result at the end of the year,” Dr McVeigh said. 

“By taking visitors on a ‘journey’ from Anzac Cove to the Western Front battle theatres, the new memorial will give visitors a better understanding of what happened in those four terrible years a century ago.

“There’s some really moving artwork on the trail now including a sculpture which depicts a woman at home reading a letter from a soldier on the battlefield of Pozieres in France and then there’s the sculpture of Duncan Chapman, the first Australian to step ashore at Gallipoli – a boy from Maryborough.

“There is also excellent pedestrian access to the site, paving, seating, lighting, and text and images about significant events.” 

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said the Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial will be a unique experience for those who want to know more about the iconic campaigns Australians were involved in during the war.

“The memorial is a striking piece of architecture evocative of the landscape around Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey,” Cr Seymour said.

The project, which supported 12 jobs during construction and supports two ongoing jobs, is jointly funded with the Coalition Government investing $900,000, the Queensland Government $1,000,000 and the Fraser Coast Regional Council $900,000.
ENDS