Mullumbimby RSL Sub-Branch Cenotaph

About

The memorial is a rectangular cenotaph, faced with white-grey marble. A black granite panel is attached to the front, which is decorated with the three service emblems. Below the emblems are the names of conflicts in which Australia has been involved, from the First World War through to Vietnam. A laurel wreath motif and the words 'Lest we forget' are also prominent. The emblems and inscriptions are all highlighted in gold. A plinth, faced with the same marble, is positioned on top of the cenotaph, featuring a silhouette image of a soldier bowing his head in front of a cross, which is topped with a helmet.   The original cenotaph, as shown in the image above, was unveiled by the Honourable Stanley Tunstall Stephens OBE on Anzac Day, 25 April 1964. Since then, it has been refurbished but not to the original specifications. The original tile facing was replaced with the marble and the plinth with soldier replaced the original artwork, a bronze sculpture. The sculpture was created by Kevin William Brereton, an art teacher at Mullumbimby High School. He was active as an artist in the 1960–70s, when he conducted workshops and exhibited ceramics and sculpture at the Brunswick Art Centre and at solo exhibitions in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, and Canberra. The sculpture was titled 'Heritage' and was 183 centimetres high and constructed from sheet bronze. At the time of construction, local newspaper the Star Advocate described it as follows:  The lower section of the sculpture in dull corroded metal suggests the savagery and destruction of war with its twisted and jagged shapes. The upper portion, a single shaft of bright metal symbolises the heritage of freedom. The cenotaph has been rededicated twice over the years, once on 14 August 1999 and again on Anzac Day, 25 April 2017. The current, refurbished cenotaph is well-maintained; however, restoration to its original condition would be preferred. The memorial is located next door to the Mullumbimby Civic Memorial Hall and adjacent to the Mullumbimby National Service Memorial. Public commemoration services take place on site.