The redesign and relocation of South Barwon Reserve’s war memorial as part of the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade has improved its accessibility and visibility while providing the community with extra amenities.
The memorial is now beside a new path also built as part of the upgrade to give pedestrians and cyclists a safer connection between the reserve and communities on other side of busy Barwon Heads Road. Vehicle access to the memorial has also improved thanks to the reserve’s new signalised entrance, built as part of the upgrade’s improvements to the Crows Road intersection.
Amenity improvements at the memorial include the addition of bench seating, a drinking fountain and a bike rack.
Heritage aspects of the previous brick wall memorial have been retained, with its 3 bronze commemorative plaques incorporated in the new design.
The plaques commemorate Belmont residents who served in World War II, community stalwart and reserve trustee from 1926 to 1958 Michael F Duff, and the Committee of Management that erected the reserve’s original gates in 1947.
The plaques are mounted on an obelisk, which is a design feature of the new memorial.
About 50 concrete bricks from the previous memorial are also included in the new structure at the base of its bench seat.
To complement the new memorial, the upgrade team has planted 3 pencil pine trees on the site. Pines have a traditional association with war memorials for their solider-like hardiness and representation of eternal life. The memorial improvements were made in consultation with Geelong’s RSL, City of Greater Geelong and family representatives of Mr Duff.
The upgraded memorial hosted one of its first commemorative events when veterans Dave Farrell, Joe Diffen OAM, John McCarthy OAM and Barry McFarlane OAM joined upgrade team members on Friday 21 April to lay a wreath ahead of Anzac Day.
The Barwon Heads Road Upgrade has employed ex-service people through workforce provider Veterans in Construction. The veterans-owned-and operated company provides ex-service people with pathways to sustainable, long-term career opportunities in the construction industry.
The $365 million Barwon Heads Road Upgrade is adding 4km of new lanes between Belmont and Charlemont. Other improvements include intersection upgrades, 4km of new shared-use paths for cyclists and pedestrians, and the replacement of a level crossing with a bridge over Marshall’s rail line. The upgraded section of road is set to cater for 44,000 daily journeys by 2031.
We expect to complete the Barwon Heads Road Upgrade later this year.