City's children inspire memorial to war dead

Mackay’s war dead and former defence forces personnel will be honoured in new plantings along the nation’s Remembrance Driveway between Sydney and Canberra.  Federal Land Transport Minister Bob Brown said yesterday this national recognition was inspired by a group of Mackay Central State School children, who planned and designed a war memorial park in Tennyson Street.



Mr Brown said yesterday he had been deeply moved by the children’s efforts. He said a grove of 308 native trees to be planted at the junction of the Hume and Federal highways, south of Goulburn in southern New South Wales, would be dedicated especially to the defence forces personnel from the Mackay district who served in all wars.

He said a plaque would be mounted on the site. “I am pleased to that the Remembrance Driveway committee has agreed to my request to undertake this task in recognition of the work the Mackay school children.”

Mr Brown promised to approach the committee when he dedicated the Tennyson Street memorial park in November last year.

The design of the two-hectare park and the memorial fountain at its centre was undertaken by the students of the Central State School.  Former pupils of the school planted trees honouring the war dead of Mackay along the banks of the Pioneer River, but these have since been washed away by floodwaters or removed.

The National Remembrance Driveway links the Sydney and Canberra war memorials.

This was first published in the Mackay Daily Mercury on 26 April, 1991