Remembering William

A GARDEN that preserved the memory of Ballarat’s only Victoria Cross recipient has been upgraded.

Work has been completed on the William Dunstan VC Memorial Garden in Golden Point ahead of Anzac Day next month.

The work at the site of the former primary school that the soldier attended was funded with a Federal Government grant.

Garry Snowden, president of the Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee and who led the upgrade, said the memorial garden at Pinarc Golden Point on English Street offered a space for residents to remember the soldier.

Corporal Dunstan lived on Cameron Street a few blocks away from the site, Mr Snowden said.

“And he used to run around as a student in this schoolyard,” he said.

The space, Mr Snowden said, let residents remember the contribution from those who had served their country.

“It’s something in their neighbourhood they can come here and they feel some connection with,” he said.

The garden was originally opened in 2013 to honour Corporal Dunstan, whose conspicuous bravery during the Battle of Lone Pine led him to receive the Victoria Cross.

With Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King’s support, Mr Snowden and Pinarc managed to secure the $8000 grant to upgrade the garden.

They engaged the City of Ballarat to identify plants with connections to the First World War or the Gallipoli campaign.

The garden, which has been landscaped as part of the works, has a lone pine and an array of plants including cercis siliquastrum, which were in the hills behind Anzac Cove when Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed there on 25 April 1915.

Pinarc chief executive officer Peter Newsome said the garden remained open to the public for events of significance and on appointment.

“We make an effort throughout the year to open it for those acknowledgements,” he said.

Mr Newsome said Pinarc were stewards of this prominent site and its history.

More information at pinarc.org.au.