In the week leading up to ANZAC Day, Local Government Focus will be highlighting some of the events local governments are hosting to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary.
To kick off Heritage Month, Sunshine Coast Division 1 Councillor Rick Baberowski officially launched the ‘Far From This Land’ exhibition, which commemorates the First World War’s 100th anniversary at Landsborough Museum.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said the launch of ‘Far from This Land’ is particularly significant because it acknowledges our Sunshine Coast heroes who fought for their nation.
“The ANZAC Centenary is a milestone of special significance to all Australians as it has helped define us as a nation.
“More than 57,700 Queenslanders enlisted in the First World War and many of them made the ultimate sacrifice.
“This exhibition gives us the opportunity to honour the stories of four local service men and women.”
Division 1 Councillor Rick Baberowski said ‘Far From This Land’ was the main part of a brand new exhibition and entry display at the Landsborough Museum, which also received Queensland ANZAC Centenary grants program funding.
“I believe the community wants to understand the local connections to such a nationally important commemoration and this new exhibition does that with intelligent interpretation and deep respect.
“I would like to thank and acknowledge the many Landsborough Museum volunteers who worked with Heritage Consultants, Blue Sky View to research the museum’s First World War collection, connect and interview connected families, and design and build an exhibition that explores the region’s First World War history.
“’Far From This Land’ commemorates the First World War experience on the Sunshine Coast through letters, documents, photographs, artefacts and family histories.
“It is also an opportunity to view three rare and significant Dead Man’s Pennies which were issued to the next of kin of servicemen who had fallen in the First World War between 1914 and 1918.
“The Dead Man’s Pennies are rare and it is significant that the museum has three.
“They will provide an emotive and tangible connection to the life and stories of servicemen William Murphy, James Maddock, Percy Edwards and their families.
“The Percy Edwards penny provides the museum an interstate connection.
“Percy was not from the Sunshine Coast but rather Albury, NSW.
“The museum volunteers are researching as to how the ‘penny’ came to be in the collection and are discussing the possible repatriation of the penny to Percy’s family or local museum in Albury NSW.
“As the Coast’s lead public exhibition initiative to commemorate the centenary of the Anzac landing in Gallipoli in WW1 the project aims to help students, residents and visitors understand the experiences of local servicemen and women and their families during and after the war.”
The exhibition is open to the public through to April 2016.
