Mount Egerton War Memorial Park on the way

A PERMANENT war memorial is being established in Mount Egerton to commemorate those from the town and wider district who served in the First and Second World Wars, and subsequent conflicts.

The Mount Egerton War Memorial Park is to be established on the south-east corner of Steetley Lane and Main Road; a parcel of green space which was donated to the Moorabool Shire Council by a neighbouring landowner.

It will not only remember people from Mount Egerton but surrounding towns, like Bungal.

Designs for the memorial and its site are being prepared, and will have both traditional and more contemporary elements.

“The idea is that there will be a stone memorial at the western end of the site, so when drivers come up they hill or down the road, they will see it,” said Mount Egerton War Memorial Park committee member Anthony Bailey.

“Leading up to that will be a series of metal panels with the names of the fallen servicemen and women, and then at the eastern end, we will have a gazebo with seating and interpretive signs with the history of Mount Egerton, and the war history as well.

“This will be both a site of reflection and commemoration, and information.

“The memorial will be made by a local Ballarat company, and the boards will also be made by a local company. We’re trying to maximise local input in manufacturing and installation on site.

“Council have been generous with the land and taking care of the concept plans that we’re using for grant applications.”

Two grant applications have been successful so far, and another two are in draft. Two donations from individuals have been received and the committee – an incorporated association – also has a Go Fund Me page that anyone can donate to.

Committee member Eddie Davis said servicepeople from “this little area” have made quite a contribution in war times.

“The honour board at the school has 170 names, and when we were researching, there were probably 20 or 30 more that went to school or lived in the area at that time,” he said.

“There’s an enormous history. The town needs something like this. It has a large gold mining history, and it’s growing. This is another part of the town that will contribute to the community.”

The project is supported by many grassroots groups including Ballan RSL and the Ballarat Arch of Victory-Avenue of Honour Committee.

The committee has plans to collaborate with the primary school, and the big goal is to have the park complete by Anzac Day 2026, however some stages may be complete by Remembrance Day 2025.

The project has been in development since July 2023. About 25 per cent of the project budget has been raised. Visit gofund.me/1b5003ed to support the Go Fund Me campaign.