“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.”
War Memorial - the History of
Pickering Brook War Memorial
My Story & History
The Group Settlement Scheme was set up by the West Australian Government after World War I to resettle returned soldiers and immigrants.
Part of the idea was to give Western Australia’s rural economy a boost by opening up more land for agriculture.
The Pickering Brook area became part of the Returned Soldier Settlement of Western Australia in 1918.
It was to this memory that the Pickering Brook Heritage Group Inc. decided to erect a War Memorial.
It is dedicated to all returned soldiers who served in all wars defending this country.
Our gratitude must go to Jim Gordon, one of the founding members of the Heritage Group who first brought it to the members attention that it was remiss not to recognise the dedication and sacrifice of our men and women.
At the outset it was important to contact the WA RSL to determine if an approval of a War Memorial in Pickering Brook could be obtained.
There were many protocols that had to be addressed before approval was granted both by the Western Australian RSL and the Department of Veteran Affairs in Canberra.
On a local level, the Shire of Kalamunda also had to approve the use of a section of land adjacent to the
Heritage Park for the War Memorial.
Bill Gaynor, was at the time, the President of the WA RSL. Bill introduced the Heritage Group to Eoan McDonald, a retired Architect, to design the War Memorial with a sympathetic focus on the natural landscape of the district.
A project such as this does not just appear. There were many factors that contributed to the finished product and need to be acknowledged.
Thanks must go to the Department of Veteran Affairs for their financial support and encouragement during the building process.
Subsequent to the building of the War Memorial the Pickering Brook Heritage Group received a Federal Community Grant to erect two silhouettes, “Soldiers on Guard”, to be an addition to the Memorial.
War Memorial - Pictorial
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Acknowledgements:
A community cannot survive without the help of volunteers. Volunteers are the backbone of every not-for-profit group.
It is important to acknowledge the enormous part played by the local people who dedicated their time, money, and effort to make this War Memorial a reality.
The Pickering Brook Heritage Group is especially grateful to the following people for their time and effort in the erection of the War Memorial:
Trevor Beard: for his site works, the formation of the plinth and the placement of the seating.
David Hawley: for assisting with the construction of the war memorial and the placement of the plinth.
Stephen Della Franca: for the laying of the concrete foundation for the War Memorial and his preparation for the erection of the silhouettes.
Malcolm Beard: f or his crane work to position the rock.
Jim Gordon: for setting the plaque and erecting the flagpole.
Nunz Vacca: for his contribution to the brick paving around the memorial.
David Vallis: for assisting in erecting the silhouettes and digging all the ditches for the lights to the War Memorial.
Peter Della Polina: for all the electrical work provided to the group for the completion of the War Memorial.
Beverley Giumelli: for overseeing the project, arranging to fund, and liaising with all stakeholders.
Everyone is welcome to come and spend time at the war memorial.
An ANZAC Dawn Service is conducted annually on the 25th April.
References Article: Nil
Images: All photographs by Pickering Brook Heritage Group