Gallipoli to Armistice Military Trail

A world-class interactive memorial to our ANZAC story

Client: Maryborough RSL & Fraser Coast Council
Category: Heritage Interpretation
Date: October 2017

Described as “Australia’s most interactive and educational military memorial outside of Canberra.” The Gallipoli to Armistice Military Trail is an emotive dedication to a tragic but proud past. Brandi Projects are immensely proud to have been chosen as the lead consultant to develop and deliver various interpretive elements of this memorial, situated on the edge of Queen’s Park in Maryborough.

Purpose of the Gallipoli to Armistice Military Trail Memorial

This trail was designed by Grant Calder of Flexure Architects to be the centrepiece for the heritage city of Maryborough, and one of Australia’s most significant military memorials. Maryborough-born Duncan Chapman was the first allied soldier to go ashore at the Gallipoli landing. Chapman was killed in action in Pozieres, France, on August 6, 1916. A bronze statue of him erected in 2016, now stands memorialised as a central element of the exhibit. A representation of all fallen soldiers at that fateful landing and the sacrifices of war.

“It is not a war memorial in the true sense, nor is it a museum. It doesn’t talk about the calibre of guns or offer detail plans with maps … it fills in gaps in the understanding of how The Great War affected Australians,” Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said at the Memorial’s unveiling.

The trail includes boats on the shoreline and a myriad of stories interpreted in multiple ways throughout. This includes the arbour of 8-metre high weathered steel columns which represent the cliffs of Anzac Cove. As well as spine-tingling audio depicting stories and songs of courage, heroism and tragedy.

Features at a glance

• multi-media story boxes
• sandblasted granite text sleepers with QR codes
• photo anodised interpretive/didactic panels
• Interactive map
• sandblasted Pozieres map
• sensor-activated audio boxes along the trails
• embedded Gallipoli soil sample

Collaborations

We worked closely with the passionate Queen’s Park Military Trail Project Committee (QPMTPC). We also coordinated the expertise of Grant Calder Architects and local specialist tradespeople.

Comments about this project

The unveiling of the memorial was attended by then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, local politicians, embassy representatives, senior military officials and hundreds of Maryborough locals.

Here are some more significant comments from ABC Wide Bay’s coverage of the Trail’s unveiling:

“Every single Australian that is able to should at some stage now make their way to Maryborough to get a sense of who we are, from where we came, who gave us what we have and made us who we are,” said Brendan Nelson. Director of Australian War Memorial.

“For three years Duncan’s statue stood alone. Now it gazes up to the shores of Gallipoli, and all the ANZACs who struggled ashore that fateful day,” said then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnball.

“You don’t just see our story, you hear it. And best of all you feel it,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“We need markers like this — signposts to the past — to tell our stories long after those who have lived the history are no longer here to explain it.”

“If you walk through this monument and don’t get goosebumps I think there’s something wrong,” Llew O’Brien, Wide Bay MP said.