Royal Australian Navy Memorial facts for kids
The Royal Australian Navy Memorial is a special place in Canberra, Australia's capital city. It stands on Anzac Parade, a road dedicated to remembering Australia's service members. This memorial honors all the brave sailors who have served in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to keep Australia safe.
The Royal Australian Navy, or RAN, was officially named on July 10, 1911. Before that, it was known as the Commonwealth Naval Forces. Since 1911, the RAN has served in oceans all over the world, both during times of conflict and during times of peace.
The memorial was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on March 3, 1986. This special event celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy.
The Memorial's Special Design
The Royal Australian Navy Memorial is also known by another name: Sailors and Ships - Interaction and Interdependence. It was created by a team including Ante Dabro, Lester Firth and Associates, and Robert Woodward.
The memorial features amazing bronze figures. These figures show different parts of a sailor's daily life at sea. You can also see geometric shapes, like parts of an anchor chain, which represent different parts of a ship. Water flows through the memorial, adding to the feeling of movement and life at sea. Even during a big drought in 2005, the memorials on Anzac Parade were allowed to keep their water features running.
