Here stands the ANZAC Obelisk. It’s a monument of yellow block Sydney sandstone. The ANZAC Obelisk commemorates New South Wales’ service during the Great War.
In 1917, Randwick Road became Anzac Parade. The ANZAC Obelisk marked the opening at Moore Park Road’s intersection. The Royal Commission suggested widening the road. It also suggested landscaping the Parklands. Moreton Bay figs lined each side of the road. Palms lined a central avenue. The ANZAC Obelisk stood at the avenue’s northern end.
Robert Hargreave Brodrick designed the ANZAC Obelisk. He was the City Building Surveyor. Brodrick migrated from England at 22. He became City Architect in 1898. He held that role until 1928. Brodrick oversaw almost all municipal buildings. These included the Domain Baths and the Municipal Markets.
The ANZAC Obelisk tapers. It rises about eight metres. A four-sided pyramidal apex tops it. Bronze letters spell “Anzac Parade” on one face. They sit within a laurel wreath. The year 1917 is also displayed. The plaque reads of the roadway opening. Mrs RD Meagher opened it. She was the Lady Mayoress of Sydney.
The ANZAC Obelisk cost £284. Stonework cost £95. Metalwork cost £189. Wunderlich Ltd won the metalwork tender. The Sydney firm was known for terracotta tiles. They also made ornamental metalwork. They patented stamped metal ceilings.
Lord Mayor Alderman RD Meagher proposed the name Anzac Parade. It was for the newly widened Randwick Road. He thought the name fitting. The council adopted his recommendation. They communicated the decision.
Troops used Moore Park for drills when war broke out. Randwick Road was part of their march. They went from Kensington Racecourse to ships in the harbour. Crowds cheered them along Oxford Street.
The ANZAC Obelisk became an important focal point. It hosted Anzac Day commemorations for years. It predated other memorials. Newspapers covered the activities. The ANZAC Obelisk was adorned with wreaths. Rain marred a 1923 observance. Soldiers marched to the monument. Lt Colonel A.B. Stevens spoke. He commanded the 2nd Battalion at Gallipoli.
Anzac Day commemorations grew. Larger events were held in the city. But soldiers and families still gathered at the ANZAC Obelisk. May Mercer requested a railing around the ANZAC Obelisk in 1923. She wanted bands to attach flowers. The bands were installed.
Children decorated the ANZAC Obelisk each Anzac Day. A 1928 report mentioned this custom. A 1929 report noted a large gathering. Loving hands decorated the memorial.
The ANZAC Obelisk connected the Anzacs and Randwick Road. This connection was undeniable. The renaming and the ANZAC Obelisk ensured that future generations would remember.
The ANZAC Obelisk now stands in Moore Park’s northern corner. It is a place to reflect. It honors those who served in World War I. Two Norfolk Island Pines were planted nearby. They mark the ANZAC Obelisk’s centenary. These pines complement the monument.
The ANZAC Obelisk was moved in 1998. It was relocated again in 2014. In 2017, it returned to Moore Park. A commemorative Aleppo pine was planted. The ANZAC Obelisk stands as a reminder. It recalls the sacrifices of the past.
Although their numbers were dwindling the tradition of marking Anzac Day at the Memorial Obelisk continued until the very end for the original diggers. It was their own memorial the place past which they had marched as young men and the place to which they had returned throughout their lives to remember those who had fallen.