Gunnedah continues to hold a special place in its heart for the men and women who have served in conflict - and there have been many of them from our Shire.
There are permanent tributes throughout the Shire, from the Gunnedah Memorial Pool, built as a war memorial, to the Water Tower murals that commemorate the Vietnam War.
Each year, ANZAC Day is one of Gunnedah’s biggest community gatherings as generations pay their respects with marches and ceremonies, both in the town of Gunnedah and the villages.
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Eighth Division Memorial Avenue
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The Gunnedah Fallen Soldiers Memorial
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Remembrance Grove and Remembrance Wall
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The Water Tower Museum
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The Tambar Springs War Memorial
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The Curlewis Memorial Gates
Eighth Division Memorial Avenue
Eighth Division Memorial Avenue is a full avenue of trees established in 1957 in memory of those fallen of the Eighth Division and supporting forces from 1939‐1945. As far as known, this Avenue is the only memorial of its type to the Eighth Division in Australia.
The Avenue is lined with flowering gums, with a commemorative plaque at the base of each tree. It also features a two‐tiered concrete platform with a flagpole attached, with inscriptions on both the top and bottom, and a brass military badge at the top.
The Gunnedah Fallen Soldiers Memorial
The Gunnedah Fallen Soldiers Memorial, located in Conadilly Street in the centre of Gunnedah, was unveiled in 1927 as a tribute to those who died in World War I. It now bears the names of those who died in all conflicts and is the centre of the town’s Anzac Day ceremony.
Remembrance Grove and Remembrance Wall
Remembrance Grove and Remembrance Wall includes a grove of trees in South Street that commemorates those from the district who served in World War Two. The trees were planted as part of “Australia Remembers” which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the end of World War Two.
The Water Tower Museum
The Water Tower Museum in South Street features two incredible Vietnam War murals. Silo artist Jenny McCracken used an image from the war etched in granite on the Vietnam War Memorial in Canberra as her inspiration.
This features the iconic Huey helicopters and a group of soldiers waiting on the ground. The second mural pictures soldiers standing at attention beside the Long Tan Cross. Close by the Water Tower Museum is the Rosewarne Public School Memorial, commemorating those from the Rosewarne Public School who served in World War One.
The Tambar Springs War Memorial
The Tambar Springs War Memorial is believed to be the first memorial to World War One servicemen erected in New South Wales, and possibly Australia.
The Italian marble memorial was erected in December 1918, a month after the war ended. It features a sculpture of a young soldier which was restored in 2003.
The Curlewis Memorial Gates
The Curlewis Memorial Gates in Hamilton Park, Curlewis, commemorate those who died in service or were killed in action in the world wars. The two brick pillars of the gates are joined by a white metal arch.
