THE Mossman RSL Sub Branch will finally be able to host a war memorial within its grounds, with Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch today announcing that the project will be funded through the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program.
The Federal Government will provide the Mossman RSL Sub Branch with $8682 to build a memorial that will commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australians during the First World War.
“There is a war memorial in Mossman but it is within the grounds of Douglas Shire Council,” Mr Entsch said.
“The RSL sought to build a small memorial on their own property that will enable members and visitors to pay their respects in a more private location.
“It will be incorporate boulders from the Mossman River which has meaning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and their families together with a set of six plaques commemorating Australia’s major military engagements from WWI on.
“The memorial will be a great asset to the club and I’m very pleased that their application for funding has been successful.”
The Centenary of Anzac will mark a century of service and sacrifice, encompassing all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations in which Australians have been involved.
The Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program enables communities and ex-service groups to support local commemorations through providing funding for projects that preserve the stories of local servicemen and women for generations to come. $125,000 has been made available to each Federal electorate.
“This grant for Mossman RSL will complement the wider series of commemorative activities that have been developed throughout our electorate,” Mr Entsch said.
“Anzac Centenary projects that have already received funding in Leichhardt include $8600 for the Cairns Historical Society’s interactive exhibition that was held at the Tanks Arts Centre last April, and $34,000 for the construction of a new First World War memorial archway at Anzac Park, Cooktown.”
Several other applications are still being assessed by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, with the DVA being overwhelmed with the number of applications received prior to the closing of the deadline.
“I would like to thank the members of the Electorate Committee, including Richard Stoker from Port Douglas, who have helped me in developing an approach for commemorating the Anzac Centenary in Leichhardt,” Mr Entsch said. “The committee’s hard work has made these activities – through the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program – a reality.”
