Plenty memorial gates
Plenty War Memorial Gates
In September 1945, the Federal Government offered funding to municipalities to establish War Memorials in various localities. A local committee of residents (called Plenty War Memorial Community Centre) was formed following a public meeting with the objective of planning an appropriate memorial. In attendance at this public meeting were: Cr W Elwers, Mrs L Elwers, Mr L Elwers (President), Mrs Walker, Mr J Walker (Treasurer), Mr R Beale (Secretary), Mr J Wilson, Mrs Brereton, Mr A Brereton (Auditor), Mr B Lierse (Vice President), Mr F Durham, Mr L Wilson, and Mr H White. This committee was active in fundraising and also provided a delegate, along with other towns in the municipality, to the City of Heidelberg War Memorial Trust, which had overall responsibility for all memorials.
The Memorial Gates were erected in the Plenty War Memorial Park in 1951 in memory of Plenty servicemen and women who served during the Great War 1914 – 1918, and during World War II 1939 – 1945. Col. Latchford and the Reverend C. P. Young officially opened the Memorial Gates on 21st April 1951 (see photograph below). Over the years following the opening of the Memorial Gates, the children attending the Plenty State School until its closure in 1993 held Memorial Services around Anzac Day.
Over the years, the volume of traffic entering the Park has increased significantly and the Memorial Gates have been damaged on occasions. Plenty Historical Society Inc. has undertaken a program to restore the Memorial Gates to their former state and install new plaques commemorating the service of local persons in Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam and other more recent areas of service by defence personnel. The Society has obtained Grants from The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department for Victorian Communities and Nillumbik Shire Council to carry out various aspects of the restoration and it is planned to hold a rededication of the Gates in April 2008.
Written by Alan Pearce
Plenty Historical Society
Feb. 2008
