Memorial Park

Child Places

• 14462 Margaret River Infant Health Clinic (fmr)

Statement of Significance

Memorial Park is of significance:
• As a public park providing a popular, passive recreational area in the centre of town
• As a place for the community to reflect on the sacrifice paid by those in defence of this country and its allies during the two world wars and subsequent conflicts.
• As the site of the Infant Health Centre from 1954, part of a State-wide service which provided important support to the women and children of the district.

Physical Description

Memorial Park is a rectangular allotment with frontages to Townview Terrace, Willmott Street and Ned Higgins Lane. The park is grassed and has an informal layout of mature specimen trees, including oak, box and pine trees. There is a modern playground covered by shade cloth near the Townview terrace frontage and scattered benches around the park.War Memorial The War Memorial is set on a raised, grassed terrace at the south-eastern corner of the park. This terrace is retained by random stone walls, which are broken by central brick steps that face diagonally across the park to the war memorial. The memorial is a simple, polished granite obelisk on a rock-faced granite plinth, inscribed with the names of servicemen from the First and Second World Wars. It is set in an area of red-brick paving and is flanked by rose beds. The flagpole is immediately behind the memorial, and adjacent tothe intersection of Townview Terrace and Willmott Street. Infant Health Centre (former)
The former Infant Health Centre is a single story building constructed of face brick, with a rendered plinth below cill height. It has an asymmetrical facade with wide entrance doors to the foyer, flanked by a triple casement window on the LHS and a double casement window on the RHS. The gabled roof is clad with tiles. This building has, in recent years, been adapted as a public toilet, but retains much of its original external detailing, plus features such as the plaque from the 1954 opening of the centre and a jarrah bench in the foyer. A men’s toilet occupies a skillion at the rear and is accessed by a concrete ramp along the southern face of the building.

History

War Memorial: On 1 June 1928, a Sub-branch of the Returned Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen’s Imperial League was formed in Margaret River, and in the course of time has undergone several name changes. It is now known as the Returned and Services League.
The formation of the Margaret River RSL Sub-branch was soon followed by the establishment of branches at Rosa Brook/Rosa Glen on 22 May 1935 and then at Cowaramup, Forest Grove and Karridale in December of the same year.On 14 June 1947, the Margaret River RSL was informed that provision had been made for the erection of a ceremonial flag pole at the corner of Willmott Avenue and Town View Terrace. It was around this time that funds were raised to build a permanent memorial as a symbol of remembrance to those men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice whilst on active service.The War Memorial was unveiled on 6 June 1958, but it was not until 27 March 1961 that the idea of holding Anzac Day observances at Memorial Park finally led to the erection of the flag pole by the Shire on 26 March 1962. Infant Health Centre As a result of a conference held in 1922 at the instigation of the Children’s Protection Society, the Infant Health Association of Western Australia was formed in 1923 to work in conjunction with the Public Health Department. In this year, three clinics with full time nurses began to operate in the Perth area and, in 1924, two more clinics were started in Fremantle and Northam. By 1 July 1945, when the State Government took over responsibility of nurses’ salaries and travelling expenses, there were 31 infant health centres and 72 sub-centres. This number rapidly increased and, by September 1955, there were 26 country centres with 215 associated sub-centres, and 25 metropolitan centres with 95 sub-centres.The Margaret River Infant Health Centre was built by R. Falkingham & Sins, Builders, and opened by the Minister for Health, Mr E Nulsen, on 2 October 1954. In recent years the building has been adapted and extended as a public rest room. These works have included the construction of a detached entry porch with a raked roof, steel posts, low side walls and benches.

Integrity/Authenticity

High: The original use has been maintained.
High: The original/significant fabric is largely intact

Condition

Good *Assessed from streetscape survey only

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.