A NEW memorial to the Cohuna district’s World War One veterans has been installed in time for next week’s ANZAC Day commemorations.
It comes after more than two years of planning, objections and community consultation for the memorial’s permanent location, which now rests outside the Gannawarra Shire Council’s Cohuna office on King Edward Street.
The installation of the memorial also marked construction of stage one of the proposed Cohuna Civic Place project for the frontage surrounds of the town’s civic centre.
“It’s great to see the memorial in place for this year’s commemoration, which will be 101 years since Australian and New Zealand troops stormed the beaches of Gallipoli,” Cohuna-Leitchville sub-branch of the Returned and Services League president, Geoff Dale said.
“We are hoping that a large contingent of residents and visitors will attend and witness the dedication of the memorial by our local
Member, Peter Walsh.”
The polished black granite memorial, with gold lettering, includes the names of 370 local war veterans, including 73 who died serving,
who resided in Cohuna, Leitchville, Gunbower and surrounding farm communities.
The $14,200 memorial was funded through the Victorian Veterans Council.
Gannawarra Shire Council’s decision earlier this year to have the memorial located at the civic centre ended a stalemate over its location, with the memorial being deferred prior to the 100th anniversary ANZAC Day last year.
The original proposal was to erect the memorial in Garden Park, but public consultation during development of the Cohuna Future Vision Plan led to consideration and subsequent adoption of the civic centre redevelopment.
The RSL intends to erect similar memorials to remember veterans from the Second World War, Korea, Vietnam and Peacekeepers in the future, but won’t replace the original Cenotaph.
Future works around the memorial will occur after ANZAC Day, including a surfaced plaza area to accommodate a flagpole and grassed edging and two quiet seating areas to provide an opportunity for rest and reflection.
