October 31, 2014
The saga of the Murgon gun is finally over with the re-positioning of the World War II artillery piece back outside Murgon RSL Club on Thursday afternoon.
The 25 pounder, which was sandblasted and repainted at Bryan Zelinski Engineering, was lifted onto the back of a South Burnett Machinery truck to begin its journey back to Murgon RSL Club.
It was joined at QEII Park in Lamb Street by a collection of marchers determined to celebrate the return of the gun to Murgon after more than four years “exile” in Kingaroy.
The parade, which was escorted by police, continued up Lamb Street and then turned right into Gore Street.
Outside the RSL Club other Murgon residents clapped – and one woman did a small jig – as the gun passed by.
Murgon RSL Sub-Branch members have been pressing for the return of the gun to Murgon for years, following its relocation to the Burnett War Museum in Kingaroy.
The opportunity to reclaim it came with the announcement earlier this year that the museum displays had been handed over to Heritage House in Yarraman.
Cr Kathy Duff, also eager for the gun to return to Murgon, contacted a representative from Heritage House who confirmed they did not wish to have the gun.
Murgon RSL Sub-Branch president Jim Kingston said Thursday’s parade was an event “that will be written into the Murgon history books”.
Cr Duff agreed it had been a “long journey”.
“It was over 4 1/2 years ago when the gun left Murgon,” she said. “I was part of the community uproar at the time …
“It’s been a long battle to get the gun back to Murgon.”
The gun was carefully lifted from the truck and positioned on a new slab of concrete – laid by Darryl Smith and Col Perkins – where it will now be bolted down.
Murgon residents obviously want the gun to stay put this time around …
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