MemorialsCoonabarabran War Memorial Clock Tower
About
The memorial is a tall rectangular tower, made from local sandstone, with a four-faced clock at the top. Lights are positioned halfway up the tower on each of the four sides. Below the lights are four large brass plaques, three inscribed with veterans' names and one, on the east side, with the dedication. There are also two flagstaffs on the north and south sides of the tower. Following the First World War, a Soldiers Memorial Committee was formed in Coonabarabran. The design for the clock tower was submitted by Mr A Paul, honorary architect, and was approved by the Memorial Committee in July 1926 (Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 2 August 1926). The clock tower was to be built with cement or stone facings. Three months later the Memorial Committee was advised that construction of the proposed clock tower had been approved subject to it being erected in sandstone. A meeting of the Soldiers Memorial Committee held in August 1927 stated that the present plans did not provide for a sufficiently wide tower for a striking clock and it was therefore decided to ask the architect to increase the width of the tower (Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 1 September 1927). The Memorial Committee also favoured the idea of placing the names of all district soldiers on the memorial. In December 1927 the Memorial Committee had finalised all arrangements for the erection of the clock tower and announced that construction would commence in January 1928 (Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative, 8 December 1927). Constructed of local sandstone, the clock tower cost £1,300, which was raised by local subscription. The Evening News (Sydney), 23 August 1928, reported on the unveiling of the memorial held on 22 August 1928 by Major General Charles Frederick Cox, who congratulated the large crowd from the surrounding district on the beautiful clock tower (The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 August 1928). Various commemorative services are held at the memorial throughout the year.