Bundaberg War Nurses Memorial and Park

About

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. Additional Information The pavilion was opened in 1949. In 2014 enhancements to the War Nurses Memorial Park including a new Australian Service Nurses Memorial Wall were added. The additions were funded under both Federal and State Centenary of Anzac grants, a local council grant and community support. The dedication of the area was performed on the centenary of the first Queensland nursing sisters departing Brisbane by ship for the First World War, 24 September 2014. The location of the park, directly across Bourbong Street from Bundaberg Hospital, means it is utilised considerably by staff and visitors to the hospital as well as the general public.