September 6, 2014
Kingaroy’s new marble statue of a World War I digger has arrived ahead of schedule for its unveiling on Anzac Day next year.
The statue, crafted by K.C. Monuments in Toowoomba, weighs about 1.25 tonnes and has been placed into safe storage at the South Burnett Council Depot.
Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch president Don Davey said the statue would be erected on a plinth in front of the current catafalque in Memorial Park in time to mark the centenary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli.
The stone will be lightly sandblasted and then sealed before the statue is lifted by crane into position.
The stonemasons have carefully reproduced a World War I uniform.
Don said he was surprised by the level of detail, especially in the hat badge.
The statue has cost about $15,000 to this point, including a grant of $4000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The project has taken three years of planning, with serious fundraising starting about a year ago.
The Sub-Branch has been approaching local businesses for donations.
The statue will be only part of a “new look” for the Kingaroy War Memorial for 2015.
Mr Davey said Council was planning to install new paving work with special lighting between the flagpoles and the monuments.
A series of murals, depicting the various conflicts that Australian troops have been involved in since the Boer War, will also be erected along the fenceline.
Security lighting and cameras monitoring the rotunda, memorials, toilet block and children’s playground would also be installed.
Mr Davey refuted rumours that Kingaroy’s 2015 Anzac Day commemoration was going to be shifted to the afternoon.
He said the only change that was being considered was starting the parade a little earlier, perhaps at 10:15am, so it would be finished in time for the official unveiling of the statue at 11:00am.
This would also fit in better with the request from the Sub-Branch to the RAAF for a flyover of the commemoration.
Related articles:
It appears that what was a fact for Anzac Day, to suit the agenda of the Mayor and some visitors and now a change of heart, for whatever reason, was only a rumour
Excuse me Mr Ward, you can make judgement of me on Council issues whenever you like but don’t you dare spread blatant lies about me or Council wanting to change any plans for Anzac Day. As far as I am concerned Anzac Day is the most important day on Australia’s national calender. The 100th commemorations of Anzac Day will be the most important day for all of us for a long long time.
It is a day for all of us, including my critics, to stand together as one to honour our magnificent servicemen and women who have done us proud. If we are lucky enough to have our great friends from Dodewaard here, that will simply be a bonus. The Mayor and his deputation would just fit in where they could with our numerous commemorations and play a very small part and only if invited to by the relevant RSL organising committee.
Sometimes I simply don’t believe what people will say and I normally just “let it go” but not this time, Mr Ward. Your comments are an insult to this very, very special day.
Wayne Kratzmann
Mayor South Burnett Regional Council
Hmmm !
As there seems to be a lot of local interest in the 2015 Kingaroy Anzac Day commemoration, we would like to direct attention to our Events Calendar listing for tomorrow (September 8):
A community meeting will be held at the South Burnett Regional Council’s offices in Glendon Street, Kingaroy at 4:00pm this afternoon to begin planning arrangements for the observance of Anzac Day 2015 in Kingaroy. 2015 will mark the centenary of Anzac and all people who’d like to get involved in organising next year’s commemoration are very welcome to attend.
Mr Kratzmann, Thank you for your response, albeit a little theatrical. May I suggest you get a copy of the Kingaroy RSL July newsletter where the council is named as the reason for the possible time change? If in fact , as you claim, this is a blatant lie, I suggest you take the Kingaroy RSL to task.
In the newsletter, the RSL states that they haven’t agreed to any time changes suggested by the council that both Murgon and Kingaroy could change their service times to suit but also reminds members that the council controls the main service, thereby suggesting that the final say is with the council hence the community meeting I guess, that way if any of the proposed changes happen it will be “what the community wanted”.
I fail to see how I insulted Anzac day, just a very poor attempt on your part to remove the focus from you and or the council to me.