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Remembrance Day 2024

Around 100 people attended a service at the Memorial Wall in the Arch of Victory precinct to commemorate the end of World War 1 and remember those who lost their lives in that conflict.  The president of the Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee, Garry Snowden, spoke of a number of fathers who did not return home.  21 names were read by Ballarat High School captains, accompanied by the tolling of a bell.

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Gallipoli August Offensive

A small crowd braved the chilly, yet sunny morning on Sunday  August 4th to attend a brief but special service to remember and honour all who fought in WW1, with emphasis on the August Offensive at Gallipoli in 1915.

The service began with a warm welcome and introduction by Jeremy Johnson AM, Hon. Secretary/Treasurer of the Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee.  Committee President, Garry Snowden followed with his address which emphasised the impact that WW1 had on Ballarat - the terrible loss of lives, the loss of workmates, team members, future leaders, employers, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers.  Not forgetting the difficulties that faced those who did return and those whose loved ones would never return, and whose final resting places were and are still, unknown.

Twenty-seven men were then remembered with the Tolling of the Bell and the Calling of Names, carried out by Grant Donald, Katie Skilton & Charlie Hann. The Ode was then recited by Phillip Hills and followed by The Last Post and Rouse, played by Bugler, Denis Hawkes. The Service concluded with thanks to all participants and those in attendance.

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Ballarat Heritage Festival 2024

As part of Ballarat’s Heritage Festival, members of the Avenue of Honour/Arch of Victory Committee were present on Sunday from 10am to 3pm for visitors to learn about the historical  significance of the Arch of Victory precinct.  Walking tours were given at 11.00am and 2.00pm.

There was also the opportunity to discover the stories of soldiers or nurses, by participating in a random name drawing game to find their tree number and then placing a poppy beside their name on the Memorial Wall; colouring activities for younger children; and a captivating photo display of some of Ballarat’s soldiers and nurses who have a tree in the Avenue of Honour.  Research assistance was on hand to help track family history and many a poppy was added to the Memorial Wall of family members who have a tree in the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.

 A big thank you as well to the Ballarat South Rotary Club for taking care of a free sausage sizzle.

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Mothers Day 2024

A beautiful autumnal day in Ballarat was welcomed by all those who gathered at the Garden of the Grieving Mother to celebrate the annual Mother's Day Service. 

The short service commenced with an official welcome by the Mayor of The City of Ballarat, Cr. Des Hudson and included an address by Ballarat General Cemeteries CEO, Annie De Jong.  Ms De Jong spoke on the number of memorials within the cemeteries where those men and women lost in conflicts, especially those who had no known grave, were honoured and remembered with inscriptions on family headstones. 

President of the Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee, Garry Snowden relayed the story of the widowed Ballarat mother whose four sons all fought in WW1, with sadly, only one returning home.  Garry also stated that around 1000 Ballarat lives had been lost in two World Wars and other conflicts like Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan and how, on Mother's Day it is important to remember all the mothers and families impacted by these losses.   

Arch of Victory / Avenue of Honour Committee member, Carol Holding recited an emotional and thought-provoking poem.  Floral tributes were then laid at the base of the Grieving Mother statue. 

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Anzac Day 2024

This year’s 8.00am Anzac Day service at the Arch of Victory remembered seventeen Ballarat men who gave their lives, who have no known grave, and whose names are recorded on little known memorials in different parts of the world, rarely visited by Australians.

Among those remembered were former Golden Point State School student, Jack Messenger, who was the first Ballarat serviceman to lose his life in the First World War. He is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in England. Former Humffray Street State School boy, George Merz, was the first Australian airman to be killed, and he is remembered on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.  Other men remembered were Alfred Briant, Arthur Hughes, Ernek Jannsen, Charles Lucas, John McDonald, Albert Paulig, Alfred Possingham, Harry Williams, Walter Waller, Albert King, William McCarey, James Galbally, Charles Richards, John Bryan Cuthbert and Lawrence Tait.

Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee President, Garry Snowden, said, ”Of course our service is about remembering all those men and women who have served our country, but at our Arch service we always try to give truth to the pledge ‘we will remember them’ by actually calling the names of some of those commemorated in our Avenue.”

A large crowd gathered for the service and wreath laying, and at the conclusion committee members were on hand to assist students who wished to place a poppy beside a name on the Memorial Wall.

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Memorial Rotunda Restoration

Works to restore the Memorial Rotunda at the Arch of Victory were completed in October 2023.  Ballarat builder and preservation specialist PFB Building carried out the conservation works, including cleaning, repairing render, applying waterproofing and repainting.  The works, which have been approved by Heritage Victoria under a heritage permit exemption, were funded by the City of Ballarat ($20,000) and the Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee ($20,000), generously supported by the Haymes Foundation.

Constructed in 1938, the Memorial Rotunda commemorates the Ballarat and district soldiers, sailors and nurses who served during World War One. The Rotunda provides an alphabetical list, and plaque numbers, of the service men and women who are commemorated in the 22km-long Avenue of Honour. The adjacent Memorial Wall carries a listing of the same names in plaque order.  The Rotunda was relocated from the north side of the Avenue of Honour to the Memorial Wall site in 1993.