TheRamblingWombat A Ramble Around Australia, Adelaide to Canberra

Pinnaroo – An Overnighter before leaving South Australia – Day 306 (Pt.2)

Having visited Wynarka and Karoonda we continued on to our overnighter at Pinnaroo. In caravanning a stop is typically referred to as an overnighter when you pull up late evening and set-up without detaching the van from the car, eat, sleep and do whatever else you might do of an evening and then leave first thing the following morning. Typically no sightseeing is scheduled in.

Continue reading “Pinnaroo – An Overnighter before leaving South Australia – Day 306 (Pt.2)” →
TheRamblingWombat Goulburn

Rocky Hill Memorial Museum

Being a regular visitor to the Australian War Memorial museum in Canberra I am used to a focus on Australia’s contribution to various wars with Australian and ally artefacts and some war trophies being used to tell that story. While the Rocky Hill Memorial certainly covers Australia’s contribution the focus here is much more on the exhibition of war trophies (enemy objects captured and taken from the field of battle by the victor) – such that visitors, especially Australians ‘can see the tangible results of’ the valour of Australia’s armed services overseas. Continue reading “Rocky Hill Memorial Museum” →

TheRamblingWombat Cooma

The Cooma Cenotaph and Corey Memorial Plaque and Diorama

The Cenotaph, a grey granite obelisk, was unveiled on ANZAC day in 1926 to commemorate soldiers from the town and district lost in World War I. Due to a cost overrun, the memorial cost £1,050, there was insufficient funds remaining in the kitty to have the names of the missing soldiers inscribed on the obelisk. Almost half of the £1,050 was contributed by spectators at the Memorial’s opening. Continue reading “The Cooma Cenotaph and Corey Memorial Plaque and Diorama” →

TheRamblingWombat Canberra

The Australian War Memorial At Night

As part of the its activity to commemorate the centenary of the 11 November 1918 Armistice, which brought about the end of World War I, the Australian War Memorial opened its commemorative area for night-time viewing (up to 10pm) on a number of weekends running up 11 November 2018. This rare event allowed visitors to see the memorial in a different light. Again, as part of its commemorative programme visitors were also able to enjoy the Memorial’s temporary 62,000 Poppy Display by night. Continue reading “The Australian War Memorial At Night” →

TheRamblingWombat Gundagai

ANZAC Park War Memorial

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I have written separate reviews on Gundagai’s Boer War Memorial, located in front of the town’s ornate court house, and the WWI Memorial at Rusconi Place near the former railway station. Typically, and especially so in smaller country towns, World War I memorials have been expanded to also commemorate sacrifices in WWII and later wars and conflicts. Indeed this occurred in Gundagai but in 1958 a new memorial park, with a grouping of memorials to various wars and conflicts was built in what is now known as ANZAC Park, which also includes a football stadium and various other recreational facilities. This is now Gundagai’s main war memorial. Continue reading “ANZAC Park War Memorial” →

TheRamblingWombat Koyasan

Jufuku-in Temple – Burma War Veterans Memorial

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The vast majority of the many temples in Koyasan are square or rectangular in shape, dark coloured (with the notable exception of the Konpon Daito Pagoda in the Danjo Garan) and have some form of courtyard. As such the brightly coloured octagonal Jufuku-in Pagoda Temple (Manihoto) by the side of the town’s main street really stood out as I made my way from Okunoin Cemetery towards the Garan. Continue reading “Jufuku-in Temple – Burma War Veterans Memorial” →