The Koorawatha community will continue to commemorate their war service for years to come, with restoration work completed to the town’s Honour Rolls.
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke joined members of the community in unveiling the restored rolls, funded through a $9,680 grant from the NSW Community War Memorial Fund.
Ms Cooke said the project would ensure the names of those who had served would continue to be remembered for generations.
“Koorawatha, like so many of our small communities, gave so much in the defence of our nation, it is only right we do everything we can to ensure their names live on,” Ms Cooke said.
“These rolls are more than 100 years old and reflect the Koorawatha community’s loss in times of war, I am so proud we have been able to support their restoration.”
“Community war memorials are the stand in for thousands of final resting places around the globe, they deserve to be maintained to ensure future generations understand our history.”
Secretary of the Koorawatha Progress Association Jane Fisher said it was wonderful to have the rolls back home.
“Our community was concerned for the honour rolls because they were beginning to deteriorate. We are thrilled to have them restored and preserved so they can last at least another hundred years,” Mrs Fisher said.
““There are 66 names of people from the town and district who volunteered for service in WWI. The original honour roll was unveiled on 1st February 1919 which was so soon after the end of the war.”
“The Honour Roll for WWII was made in a matching style and the two have stood side by side in the front alcove of the Koorawatha Regional Rooms ever since.”
“These rolls are full of local names and have been beautifully restored and preserved by Art and Archival in Canberra. It was so wonderful to have them back in time for Anzac Day.”
