Memorial Gardens

Statement of Significance

The Victoria Park RSL Memorial Gardens have aesthetic, historic and social heritage significance. The trees and landscaped gardens provide a restful setting for the simple Memorial, commemorating those Victoria Park citizens who died in service during World War I and World War II. The plaques which were on the original memorial, built in 1917, now reside with the Cannington Sub-Branch of the RSL.

Physical Description

The Memorial Gardens are located on the corner of Albany Highway and Harvey Street, adjacent to the Town of Victoria Park Administration Centre. In the gardens are various large mature trees, paths, seating and landscaped gardens. The War Memorial is a simple sandstone cross, mounted on a sandstone and brick plinth, located toward the centre of the gardens. The area immediately around the memorial is brick paved. Cypress trees are planted to either side of the pathway leading to the memorial. There is a mounted plaque to the base of the memorial which reads: IN REMEMBRANCE OF VICTORIA PARK CITIZENS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM 1914-1918 – 1939-1945 “WE WILL REMEMBER THEM” The Memorial Gardens is bounded by a low brick and render wall with wrought iron infill. There is a mounted plaque to the Harvey Street side of the wall which states: WORLD WAR ONE HONOUR ROLL 1914-1918 VICTORIA PARK REMEMBERS The Victoria Park RSL built The Centenary Memorial Wall in 2015 to honour the memory of the servicemen from Victoria Park who served, and those who gave their lives for their country in World War One. The Wall is situated at the Victoria Park RSL Sub Branch 1 Fred Bell Parade East Victoria Park LEST WE FORGET April 2015 There is also a stone tablet mounted on a brick column to the right hand side of the memorial which states: THIS TABLET WAS UNVEILED To The Memory Of JOHN RUSHTON.J.P. CHAIRMAN OF THE MEMORIAL COMMITTEE DIED 10TH AUGUST 1917.

History

The Victoria Park Memorial and Statue were established and erected in honour of those who enlisted from the district to serve in World War 1. The memorial was unveiled in 1917 (August 4th, which was the third anniversary of the Declaration of War between England and Germany). The Sculpture was designed and erected by Peter Porcelli. The Statue was of a WWI soldier known as "The Digger". The pedestal, of Donnybrook stone, had tablets affixed to it, engraved with the names of those men who had gone into War Service. The Memorial is said to be one of the first WWI Memorials erected in Australia. According to correspondence, vandalism of the statue started during the 1920s. By the 1950s the statue had deteriorated so badly the decision was made to replace it with a simple stone cross. In 1957 a cross of Sydney sandstone was fixed in place of the old statue. The replacement was funded by the Perth City Council. The name tablets were removed and sent to the Victoria Park Sub-Branch of the RSL. During 1995 there was a move to rename the Memorial Gardens the Gurney Memorial Park, after Stan Gurney who was a well known Victoria Park identity. Gurney was a successful racing cyclist who was killed during WWII and awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. This did not eventuate. With the advent of the Town of Victoria Park a considerable amount of work has been done on the landscaping to enhance the mature Moreton Bay fig trees, first planted during WWI.

Integrity/Authenticity

INTEGRITY; High AUTHENTICITY; Medium

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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