Bundaberg War Nurses Memorial and Park

Memorial information

Description

In 2016 the War Nurses Memorial Park in Bundaberg includes the Bundaberg War Nurses Memorial pavilion; an Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall; an Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk and Commemorative Gardens; and a Centenary of Anzac Avenue – Remembering our War Nurses.

The Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall is situated to the northeast of the War Nurses Memorial pavilion and is connected to the pavilion by an Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk which leads through to the southwest side of the pavilion, and the perpendicular Centenary of Anzac Avenue – Remembering our War Nurses.

The wall, gardens, avenue, walk and pavilion are in the State-heritage listed War Nurses Memorial Park, which also contains picnic seating, a children’s playground, and a city water tower.

The pavilion is approximately 7m long by 4m wide, with stuccoed walls, tiled roof and leaded marble plates high on the inside walls. One plate is an Honour Roll listing the names of the 12 local nursing sisters who served in WWI, and the 4 local sisters who served in WWII (two of the latter died: one in a Japanese POW camp, the other in the sinking of the Centaur). The other marble plate records the opening and commissioning of the memorial (the pavilion was officially opened on 15 October 1949).

Originally there was a vine covered lattice screening the structure from two sides. The exterior walls have metal lettering indicating the commemorative purpose of the pavilion.

The 2014 Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall is a concrete masonry construction approximately 3.3m long by 0.9m high in the centre section. The centre is raised for a length of about 2m. The wall shares a base with a single flag station. It is double sided with plaques, including the name of the wall (dedicated to), facing east and conflict plaques on its western side facing the War Nurses Pavilion. The eastern side of the wall is lit with ground lighting during the early part of the night.

The Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk links the Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall to the War Nurses Memorial pavilion and is bordered by gardens on each side. Plaques are included in the concrete edges of the gardens. Facing the War Nurses Memorial is a listing of First World War Bundaberg area Nursing Sisters located on the edge of the southern garden. In the same garden, facing the path and the Bundaberg Hospital is the Remembering our War Nurses plaque naming both the walk and the avenue. On the opposite side of the walk is the Plaque recording the unveiling – facing south, and the project sponsors and supporters plaque facing west.

The Centenary of Anzac Avenue pathway leads from Bourbong Street to Takalvan Street linking both to the War Nurses Memorial pavilion and through that to the Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk. The avenue is situated between the War Nurses Memorial pavilion and the West Bundaberg Water tower.

Between the Avenue and the water tower enclosure is ‘The Peace Garden’, containing two plaques and four double sided ‘Remembering our War Nurses’ storyboards.

Inscription

Bundaberg War Nurses Memorial pavilion:

A white marble plaque lists names of nurses who served in World War I and World War II (see photo)

Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall:

Eastern plaques:

(left) RAN, RAAF, Army badges
(centre) Dedicated to
Australian Service Nurses
Sacrifice Courage Devotion
Faith Hope Charity
Serving their country and
humanity since 1899
Lest We Forget
(right) Australian Service Nurses
Memorial Wall
dedicated 24 September 2014
Honouring Australian Nurses
who served in the
Australian Army, Navy, Air Force
or in other
Commonwealth or Allied Nursing
Services
Pro Humanitate – for humanity
(plaque includes a cross)

Western plaques:

(left/top) Logos: Australian Nursing Service badge, 100 years of ANZAC,
(top of plaque) Rising Sun 3rd pattern
(bottom of plaque).
Commemorating the centenary of the sailing
from Brisbane for World War One
of the first official Queensland party of
Australian Army Nursing Service
on
24th September 1914.

with footer:

Dedicated at a service held 24th September 2014
Commissioned by Bundaberg & District Ex Servicewomen’s Association –
Funded by the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program
(left/bottom) THIS PLAQUE RECORDS THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN PROVIDING
NURSING CARE AND MEDICAL AID DURING THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1919
AND IS DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO PAID THE SUPREME SACRIFICE (for remainder of inscription, see photograph)
(right/top) Honouring Australian Nurses
who volunteered from the six colonies
for service in South Africa
during the Boer War 1899 – 1902
(logo: First pattern rising sun)
Dedicated to the sister who did not come home
Unveiled on 24th September 2014 at the dedication of
Bundaberg’s Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall
“Our First War Nurses”
Lest We Forget
Commissioned by Bundaberg & District Ex Servicewomen’s Association
(right/bottom) Proudly Celebrating
100 Years of Red Cross in Australia
(with Australian Red Cross logo, coloured)

ANZAC Centenary Memorial Walk and Commemorative Gardens:

Entrance plaque (with full coloured version of the Remembering our War Nurses logo):

Remembering our War Nurses
Anzac Centenary Memorial Walk and Commemorative Gardens
Centenary of Anzac Avenue
Marking the Centenary of the First World War
This project is proudly supported by the Queensland Government
(Queensland ANZAC Centenary logo)
Commissioned by Bundaberg & District Ex Servicewomen’s Association

WW1 Honour Roll:

Bundaberg/Burnett Honour Roll
First World War 1914–1918
Nurses who served overseas with Australian
Army Nursing Service or Queen Alexandra’s
Imperial Military Nursing Service
(lists 28 names)
(includes reference to pavilion plaque and illustrates supreme sacrifice)
Lest We Forget

Unveiling plaque (with coloured Remembering our War Nurses logo):

Enhancement and revitalization of War Nurses Memorial
was officially unveiled on 24th September 2014 by (for rest of inscription see photo)
Sponsors plaque (with association badge and Remembering Our War Nurses logo – uncoloured): (For inscription see photo)

Replacement of 1995 rededication plaque (bronze and mounted on western side of the flag station):

War Nurses Memorial & Park.
Rededicated
15th August 1995
50th Anniversary - end WWII
Bundaberg & District
Ex Servicewomen's Association

Centenary of ANZAC Avenue – Remembering our War Nurses:

Peace Garden south side:

Peace Garden
Dedicated to nurses who paid the supreme sacrifice
Lest We Forget
The vision and hopes of a peaceful future of those who paid the supreme sacrifice
in the service of their country are reflected in the quietness and beauty of the Peace Garden
and shows that the community remembers them and we honour their sacrifice with a lasting living tribute
Unveiled on 24th September 2014 at a commemorative service
marking the Centenary of the First World War
Commissioned by the Bundaberg & District Ex Servicewomen’s Association

Civilian Nurses north side (facing the hospital):

Dedicated to
Civilian Nurses
In recognition of the ongoing care
provided to veterans and
the community
Unveiled on 24 September 2014
at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the departure of the first
Queensland army nurses to the First World War
Commissioned by the Bundaberg & District Ex Servicewomen’s Association

Set of 4 double-sided Story Boards, situated in the Peace Garden, which provide details of the contribution of nurses and women to our nation for over 100 years as well as a history of the War Nurses Memorial pavilion and park.

These story boards can be viewed at: http://exservicewomen.org/storyboards-for-war-nurses-memorial-park/

The first seven storyboards are titled Nurses from Zululand to Afghanistan and the eighth, War Nurses Memorial Park.

Storyboard One – Project overview, Introduction and Boer War
Storyboard Two – Great War Nurses (1)
Storyboard Three - Great War Nurses (2)
Storyboard Four - Second World War Nurses (1)
Storyboard Five - Second World War Nurses (2)
Storyboard Six - Cold War Nurses
Storyboard Seven - Recent Conflicts, Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Operations
Storyboard Eight - War Nurses Memorial Park

Conflicts

Peacekeeping, Somalia, Gulf War, Vietnam War, Indonesian Confrontation, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Japan (BCOF), World War II, World War I, Boxer Rebellion, South African War