Mullalyup War Memorial (Obelisk)

Statement of Significance

Mullalyup War Memorial was built to honour those residents of the Mullalyup area who served in the two World Wars in 1914-18 and in 1939-45, and who died in service. Mullalyup War Memorial has aesthetic value for its form and materials and is located in an attractive garden sited in a prominent position at the side of the main road of the town. It is highly valued by the local community, many of whom are related to those commemorated. It illustrates the enormous human sacrifice made by the small regional communities and commemorates the renowned fighting spirit of the Anzacs.

Physical Description

Mullalyup War Memorial is a white obelisk with a white marble plaque containing a list of the names of service personnel from the Mullalyup area who who were killed in WWI and WWII. The obelisk is mounted on a black stepped plinth. The Memorial is located at the side of the road within an attractive well maintained garden which is enclosed by a low fence of wide horizontal railings. A red gravel path with a border of lavender leads to the obelisk which is at the rear of the garden and there is a hedge of roses down each side.

History

Mullayup War Memorial was the first to be erected in the Balingup district after a Roll of Honour Committee was formed at Mullalyup. In mid-1918, it was decided the ‘Mullayup Roll of Honour’ would ‘take the form of a handsome obelisk of marble and cement’, prices were obtained for its erection and for engraving the names on the Roll in hammered lead (Bunbury Herald 3 July 1918). The Committee selected a site ‘on the hall block’ (Mullalyup Lot 9), ‘close to the high road’ (ibid). Volunteers carried out the unskilled work to prepare the site and it was arranged that a qualified man from Perth Monumental Works would erect the obelisk itself. On Sunday, 15 December, 150 people attended ceremony at which Mrs. Parmenter laid the foundation for the obelisk. Her only son, Private Willie Parmenter, was the most highly decorated soldier from the district, awarded the Military Medal (M.M.), for bravery in the field in 1917, and died on active service, 23 August 1918. On Sunday, 29 December 1918, Rev. Hyde, Rev. Hurst and Father Reidy unveiled the Memorial ‘a beautiful obelisk, 13 feet high, in marble and cement’ bearing ‘the names of the 1919). On 9 June 1919, the Roll of Honour Committee gave its final report, presented a silver trowel to Mrs. Parmenter as a memento her laying the first brick, and elected a committee to control and improve the Memorial Reserve that was to be cleared and planted with ornamental trees. The local community cared for Mullalyup War Memorial and its significance is highly valued through into the early 2000s.heroes’, including Private Parmenter, ‘worked in hammered lead’ (Bunbury Herald 4 Jan.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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