Community
21 April, 2025
1924 Cenotaph refurbished
THE Gordonvale Town Cenotaph has been refurbished, just in time for ANZAC Day.
Works were completed last Saturday, April 12. It honours local servicemen and WWI veterans alike.
Erected in 1924, the Cenotaph has served as a symbol of gratitude towards thousands of WWI veterans, including 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
With relatives of the men named on the cenotaph invited to come forward and share their stories, biographies of the men were also presented in the RSL hall afterwards.
Ian Lindsay said the event was a way for the community to dedicate the monument to the lives of those recorded on it.
“The Oxford Dictionary defines the word dedication as the action of making or declaring something, typically a church or other structure sacred,” he said.
“Today, we gather to hear a little of the lives of those whose names are etched on the new marble plates, and we gather to rededicate this monument to their memory today.”
Gordonvale RSL Sub-branch president Glenn Lee said the entire community was extremely grateful for everybody who contributed to the refurbishment.
“We gather here, not to witness a moment in time, but to celebrate the accumulation of effort, dedication and community spirit that brought this refurbishment to life,” said Mr Lee.
“I wish to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the important project.”
Mr Lee said it was “deeply moving to see our wonderful community come together”.
