Cockatoo Island Memorial
Gaye WotherspoonIt was erected in 1956 by BHP who had begun mining iron ore on the island. In fact this was the beginning of the iron ore mining in Australia.
Services were held every year here until mining finished, for the first time and BHP closed the island.
However myself and several others have been restoring the island over the past four years and a regular service has been held there, for those working on the island. We always have a bugle playing the last post as the sun rises over the Buccaneer Archipelago and Anzac biscuits served before a drink at the Iron Ore Bar to honour our fallen Anzacs and those who survived.
It is also a tribute to those Cockatoo miners who upheld this tradition for so many years.
We have a service planned for this year (2021), where over 48 boats will be visiting the island.