{"id":80453,"date":"2014-09-06T00:00:24","date_gmt":"2014-09-05T14:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=80453"},"modified":"2020-11-27T11:39:22","modified_gmt":"2020-11-27T01:39:22","slug":"marble-captures-spirit-of-anzac","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/09\/06\/marble-captures-spirit-of-anzac\/","title":{"rendered":"Marble Captures Spirit Of Anzac"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch president Don Davey with the Anzac statue\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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An overhead view of some of the detail in the uniform<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 6, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kingaroy’s new marble statue of a World War I digger has arrived ahead of schedule for its unveiling on Anzac Day next year.<\/p>\n

The statue, crafted by K.C. Monuments in Toowoomba,\u00a0 weighs about 1.25 tonnes and has been placed into safe storage at the South Burnett Council Depot.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The stone will be lightly sandblasted and then sealed before the statue is lifted by crane into position.<\/p>\n

The stonemasons have carefully reproduced a World War I uniform.<\/p>\n

Don said he was surprised by the level of detail, especially in the hat badge.<\/p>\n

The statue has cost about $15,000 to this point, including a grant of $4000 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.<\/p>\n

The project has taken three years of planning, with serious fundraising starting about a year ago.<\/p>\n

The Sub-Branch has been approaching local businesses for donations.<\/p>\n

The statue will be only part of a “new look” for the Kingaroy War Memorial for 2015.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr Davey said Council was planning to install new paving work with special lighting between the flagpoles and the monuments.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Security lighting and cameras monitoring the rotunda, memorials, toilet block and children’s playground would also be installed.<\/p>\n

Mr Davey refuted rumours that Kingaroy’s 2015 Anzac Day commemoration was going to be shifted to the afternoon.<\/p>\n

He said the only change that was being considered was\u00a0starting 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.<\/p>\n

This would also fit in better with the request from the Sub-Branch to the RAAF for a flyover of the commemoration.<\/p>\n

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