An elegantly designed and fitting tribute to honour service men and women who have sacrificed to keep Australia safe, has been built overlooking the river in Murray Bridge.
The Murray Bridge War Memorial at Sturt Reserve provides a permanent focal point for commemoration, ANZAC services and remembrance.
This project is a result of the Council and RSL working together to construct a War Memorial in Sturt Reserve to commemorate all those who have served or have been lost in conflict, and to acknowledge the sacrifice our armed forces have made and continue to make to ensure the security of Australia and our values.
Australian regional memorials have long been at the heart of community commemoration of our service men and women. And now in Murray Bridge each ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day our community has a memorial where they can gather and commemorate those who left our community to join other service personnel in the defence of freedom.
The granite memorial designed by the RSL represents a body with two arms outstretched providing welcome and comfort, while the reverse side offers protection and shelter. Community consultation undertaken in June 2019 helped refine the final concept design.
The project also included landscaping and paving in and around the Memorial. Surrounding gardens provide a place of peace, tranquility, reflection and commemoration where future generations can pay their respects.
The War Memorial is only one component within the overall Sturt Reserve Masterplan, which provides a framework for the development and improvement of the area - Council is currently undertaking the next stage of detailed design planning for the reserve.
The Murray Bridge War Memorial project was supported by a grant of $200,000 from the Australian Government Community Development Grants’ Programme.