THE Nowra War Memorial is in danger of deteriorating to a state it may collapse according to Nowra RSL Sub-Branch president Fred Dawson.
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Mr Dawson said the stunning sandstone memorial, resembling a castle with its parapets and towers, was officially opened by Admiral Evans in January, 1931, is “crumbling from the top down” and “needs to be protected”.
Mr Dawson has gone as far as saying traffic should be banned from driving through the memorial gates at the showground because the vibrations were “shaking loose” the mortar that holds the large sandstone blocks together.
“If we can’t at least have cars banned from using the entrance, why not heavy vehicles?” he said.
“There are two other entrances into the showground, off Worrigee Street and North Street which could both be used.
I fear the memorial will crumble from the top down unless something is done to preserve the structure. If it's just left it will eventually just become a pile of collapsed rocks.
- Nowra RSL Sub-Branch president Fred Dawson
“Really, with those two other entrances no traffic needs to go through the memorial gates.”
He said the exhaust fumes from vehicles had also led to discoloration on the memorial.
“The black soot that can been seen on the sandstone is from car exhausts,” he said.
“The RSL received a grant about nine years ago to clean the structure and added more money to that, spending around $18,000 to have the work done.
“The gates are often shut when local football games are on with access via the other entrances, so it can be done.”
He said when the memorial was originally opened in 1931 by Admiral Evans, the keys to the gates were given to the RSL and the gates were locked.
“Somewhere in the past 80 odd years those keys were somehow given to council who opened it up to traffic and it became a public thoroughfare,” he said.
Earlier this month a utility driven by a 54-year-old Nowra man struck the southern side of the main memorial wall.
The vehicle suffered significant damage to the front end, while there were scrape marks left on the memorial and smashed glass and wreckage from the car strewn across the southern entry of the memorial gates. Glass was also embedded in the main memorial sandstone wall where it was struck by the car.
The man was charged with negligent driving.
A trip to the top the memorial and a look around other parts of the structure backs up Mr Dawson’s claims.
There is evidence where large sections of mortar and pointing have been replaced on the memorial, while in other sections the space left by the missing mortar allows Mr Dawson to place almost all of his hand into the gap.
“Shoalhaven City Council has done some remedial work on the pointing and got a $5000 grant to do some of the work,” Mr Dawson said “but to redo the whole structure which is what it will eventually need could cost up to $100,000.
“If something isn’t done and it's just left it will eventually just become a pile of collapsed rocks.
“I fear the memorial will crumble from the top down unless something is done to preserve the structure.”
He is also concerned about the “lack of attention” the memorial receives from Shoalhaven City Council.
“This area needs to be maintained and kept neat and tidy,” he said.
“The large fig trees nearby leave a horrible mess around the memorial. I know it is hard to continually keep this area clean but surely it could be placed on a more regular cleaning schedule?
“We have spoken to council many times about this. They say they clean up the area 23 times a year but I’ve never seen any evidence of that.
“We even had to get the area cleaned for Anzac day.
“The whole area around the memorial is in a shocking mess.
“It is embarrassing. Something should be done on a regular basis. It’s disrespectful.
The whole area around the memorial is in a shocking mess. It's embarrassing. It’s disrespectful.
- Nowra RSL Sub-Branch president Fred Dawson
“Visitors come and look at the memorial, it is an attraction, and see the lack respect as a community and wonder why?
“It is one of four memorials of its kind in the country and it is one of the finest.”
Memorial a focus of Anzac Day services
This Nowra War Memorial is seven metres tall, carved from sandstone and set between the wrought iron gates at the entrance to Nowra Showground.
Cyril Blacket won a competition to design the memorial to commemorate World War I. The impressive structure, resembling a castle with its parapets and towers, was officially opened by Admiral Evans on January 22, 1931.
The imposing, and controversial nine foot tall memorial bronze statue, designed by Otto Steen, depicts a soldier with no helmet or rifle on the alert to safeguard the future in a memorial fountain.
It was unveiled on March 23, 1968 by then NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler to commemorate World War II and subsequent conflicts.
This Soldiers Gate Memorial is the focus for Nowra Anzac ceremonies. The structure, with its bronze statue and carved sandstone arches, is one of the most recognisable locations in the city.
Last month’s accident at the memorial gates was not the first time it has had a run in with a motor vehicle.
In the late ’80s the southern arch of the memorial gate suffered significant damage after being struck by a garbage truck.
Last year, after a racist attack on the Nowra War Cemetery, it was feared a large blue fluorescent stain that appeared on the historic statue may have also been a vandalism attack. But in fact it was a natural occurring process called verdigris, which can often affect bronze, brass and copper items.