Hawker among ‘Places of Pride’ in latest Australian War Memorial initiative
The Hawker War Memorial has been featured in a cinematic display showcased at the new Southern Entrance in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The large-scale ‘Places of Pride’ multimedia display takes viewers on a journey across war memorials and commemorations around the nation, showcasing 42 of the 12,000 places in Australia built to honour those who served Australia in wars and conflicts.
Hawker is one of just five South Australian war memorials included in the project, alongside the Watervale War Memorial and the Adelaide War Memorial on North Terrace.
Former army reservist and Flinders Ranges Council CEO Sean Holden said they didn’t know why Hawker was chosen but he is proud of the important role the local war memorial plays within their community.
“[The memorial] is vital for people that remember descendants, that have the stories passed down to them. It gives them a place to go and remember them, and think about what they’ve done,” Holden said.
“For Hawker, it’s fair to say that these communities are a bit older, people tend to leave and go to the city. For those who are still in Hawker, they knew these people and they know their descendants, so there’s still that strong link.”
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The film features eleven local Hawker community members, filmed reflecting in front of the Memorial Cross.
“The movers and shakers developed the memorial to what you see now. Ian Carpenter and Councillor Steven Taylor, they had a vision for it, and they’re in the video,” Holden said.
The Flinders Ranges Council Mayor Ken Anderson is proud that Hawker has been literally put on the map within this initiative.
“To be featured amongst some of the biggest and most stunning war memorials in Australia is a real privilege,” Anderson said.
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“I personally thank those who have contributed to the War Memorial over time and also to those that braved that cold morning in June last year when filming was undertaken. The final film is truly fitting.”
The Hawker War Memorial, located on the corner of Wilpena Road and Chance View Terrace, was opened in 2017 after a two-year reconstruction on the site of the former Hawker War Memorial Swimming Pool.
The precinct features a paved area with a Memorial Cross, and the Garden of Courage, planted and maintained by the students of the local Hawker Area School in 2016. The Walk of Honour also provides the opportunity for visitors to reflect on those who lost their lives in World War II, featuring signage and a pine tree planted as a tribute to the servicemen of the area. A gun carriage, used in the 1987 Australian war film The Lighthorsemen, which was also filmed in Hawker, is also on display in the memorial.
Described as the “Hub of the Flinders Ranges”, the historic town lies at the junction of roads from Port Augusta, Marree, Orroroo, Blinman and Wilpena Pound.
During World War II, the regional town’s north-south railway line served as a vital link between Adelaide and Darwin, carrying 18,000 servicemen and hundreds of thousands of pieces of military equipment.
Around 50 Hawker residents served in World War I.
“Lots of Hawkens went because they were very good horse riders. Also very good pastoralists. We had a ready-made workforce in regional South Australia,” Holden said.
