Montville Memorial Precinct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Montville Memorial Precinct |
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Montille Memorial Precinct, 2014
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| Location | Razorback Road and Main Street (Montville–Mapleton Road), Montville, Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Official name: Montville Memorial Precinct | |
| Type | state heritage (built, landscape) |
| Designated | 28 August 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602616 |
| Significant period | 1900s |
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The Montville Memorial Precinct is a special place in Montville, Queensland. It's a heritage-listed area that helps us remember important events and people. You can find it where Razorback Road meets Main Street. This precinct was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on August 28, 2008.
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Remembering Our Heroes
The Montville Memorial Precinct is in the small village of Montville, located in the Blackall Range west of the Sunshine Coast. This area is very important for remembering soldiers and their service. Each part of the precinct is a war memorial. It's also where people gather every year for Anzac Day ceremonies.
A Look Back at Montville's History
Montville started as a small farming and dairy community. Around 1891, a railway line came to Palmwoods, making it easier for farmers to transport their goods. A school opened in Montville in 1896. By the time World War I started, Montville had a hall, a guesthouse, and two stores.
About 40 men from Montville's small community joined the army in World War I. Six of them sadly died. After the war, many towns in Australia built memorials. These memorials helped people remember those who served. They also provided a place for communities to grieve together. They showed local pride and national spirit.
The Unique Memorial Gates
Montville's memorial gates were officially opened on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921. They are made of four stone pillars from Helidon, with wrought iron gates and a fence. The names of all the local men who joined the army are carved on marble slabs on the gate pillars.
A company called AL Petrie and Son made these gates. They were famous for making many memorials in Queensland. What makes Montville's gates special is that they include the names of men who volunteered but were not accepted into the army. This is very rare for war memorials in Australia. Usually, only those who served or died are listed. In small towns like Montville, everyone knew each other. Including these names showed respect for everyone who tried to serve.
The memorial gates are the main focus for Anzac Day services. The area around them, called Memorial Close, and the memorial trees, are also important. People gather in Memorial Close for the dawn ceremony. Afterward, Anzac biscuits and drinks are served in Montville Hall.
Montville Hall: A Community Hub
Montville Hall was built in 1903, before World War I. It was chosen as the site for the memorial gates because it was already a central place for community activities. It's still used for community events today. The hall has been changed a few times over the years. It was made longer, and a supper room and kitchen were added. In 1999, a large extension was built.
The "Village Green" and Memorial Trees
Across from the hall and memorial gates is a park called the "Village Green." Along one side of the park, there's a row of six memorial trees. These trees are part of a tradition called "memorial avenues." In Australia, the first memorial avenues were planted in Victoria. They were a way to honor recruits during the war.
Children from Montville State School planted these memorial trees in September 1923. Each tree has a plaque with the name of one of the six local men who died in World War I. The trees are tall fig trees that provide lots of shade.
The Soldiers' Memorial Hall
The former Soldiers' Memorial Hall is also on the "Village Green." Memorial halls were often built as clubrooms for soldiers who returned from war. They sometimes also served as community halls.
This hall was built in 1941 by World War I veterans. It was a place for returned soldiers to meet. They wanted to support the soldiers coming back from World War II. The hall was used by the local RSL (Returned and Services League) until 1978. Then, it was given to St Mary's Church and renamed. A kitchen and a verandah have been added since it was built.
It's not common to find so many different types of war memorials so close together. The Montville Precinct has memorial gates, trees, a hall, and honour rolls all in one area. This makes it very special.
What You'll See at Montville Memorial Precinct
The Montville Memorial Precinct is a green, leafy area. It includes the "Village Green" park, Memorial Close street, the memorial gates, a row of memorial fig trees, a large community hall (Montville Hall), and a smaller community hall (Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre). It's located right in the middle of Montville village.
Montville Hall
Montville Hall is a building made of weatherboard. It has a gabled roof with three vents. There's a wide extension on one side with a sloping roof. The building sits on land that gently slopes down, so the front is at ground level, but the back is raised on stumps.
The front of the hall has a small porch with a gabled roof. Inside, the main part of the hall is a large room with a stage at the back. The walls are made of wooden boards.
You'll find two important honour boards inside the hall.
- The World War I honour board is made of dark wood with gold letters. It lists the names of those who joined up for World War I. It says "For King and Country. Roll of Honour."
- The World War II honour board is next to it. It's also dark wood with gold letters. It lists names from "Montville and District, Roll of Honour, World War 1939-1945." It also lists the four local people who died and some local women who served. It says "Lest We Forget."
Memorial Gates
The memorial gates are in front of Montville Hall. They form a half-circle around the hall. They have four sandstone pillars that support wrought iron fences and a gate. The two pillars holding the gates are larger. There's a flagpole at each end.
On the front of the main pillars, there are marble slabs with names carved into them. These include the names of those who joined the army and those who volunteered but were not accepted. The left pillar says, "Erected by the residents of Montville District in appreciation of those residents who enlisted in the Great War 1914-1919." Below this are the names of the six men who died. The right pillar lists 33 names under "Enlisted" and six names under "Rejected."
The "Village Green" and Memorial Trees
The "Village Green" is a triangular park. The six memorial trees are lined up along one side of the park, across from the memorial gates.
These memorial trees are tall, spreading fig trees. They create a lot of shade over Memorial Close and the park. Other smaller trees and shrubs also grow in the park, making it a very green and shady spot. The park has grass, except under the trees and in small garden areas. There's also a flagpole in one corner.
Each memorial tree has a small brass plaque. It says "1914-1918," the name of one of the men who died in World War I, and "Lest We Forget." There are also picnic tables under the trees.
Montville Memorial Hall, St Mary's Church Hall and Community Centre
This hall is at the back of the "Village Green." It's a small weatherboard building with a gabled roof. The front of the hall faces Main Street and has a verandah.
The verandah has a corrugated iron roof. You enter through double wooden doors. There are also windows on either side of the door.
On the front wall, you'll see four plaques. They remember different things, like when the Salvation Army arrived in Montville, when the verandah was added, when the hall was built during World War II, and when it was given to St Mary's Church. One plaque also remembers those who served and died in World War II, including the "'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels' who helped them in the Milne Bay and Kokoda campaigns, 1942".
Inside, the hall has two rooms: a large main hall and a small kitchen. The kitchen is in an extension. The walls and ceiling are made of light-colored wooden boards.
Why This Place is Important
The Montville Memorial Precinct is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's very important to Queensland's history and culture.
Showing Queensland's History
This precinct helps us understand Queensland's history. It shows how Australia was involved in two world wars. It also shows how communities expressed their sadness and remembrance after these wars. The memorials from World War I (the gates from 1921 and the trees from 1923) show how strong Australian pride and patriotism were at that time. Many communities built memorials to honor their local people who fought in the war.
A Rare and Special Place
The Montville Memorial Gates are special because they include the names of men who volunteered for World War I but were not accepted. This is very rare for monuments. Even though groups of rejected volunteers often asked for their names to be included, it usually didn't happen on monuments, only sometimes on honour boards.
The Montville Precinct is also unusual because it has so many different types of memorials close together. It has memorial gates, trees, a special street (Memorial Close), a soldiers' memorial hall, and honour rolls.
What a Memorial Should Be
This area shows what a war memorial should be like. It's designed for ceremonies. The memorial gates are a main feature, showing the names of local people who served and died. This is the center of memorial services. Memorial Close is an open space in front of the gates where people can gather. The memorial trees also show names of the dead and provide a shady area. Behind the gates, Montville Hall, with its honour rolls, provides a place for activities after the services.
A Beautiful and Peaceful Spot
The Montville Memorial Precinct is very beautiful. It's mostly covered by the large, spreading fig trees. The stone memorial gates, the wooden and iron buildings, and the green lawns make it a lovely place. It's a peaceful, leafy area in a busy part of Montville that many tourists visit.
