The Andrews Labor Government has unveiled a new permanent memorial to commemorate the brave local diggers who made the ultimate sacrifice during the First World War.

Member for Werribee Tim Pallas today officially opened the new memorial which includes a monument with the names of the 60 fallen soldiers from the Werribee district who lost their lives during the four-year conflict.

The names have been etched into individual bluestone blocks stacked together to form two walls shaped in the form of a poppy, a flower which commemorates those who have died at war.

The centre of the monument includes a tall granite structure with the Australian Rising Sun badge and the Sword of Sacrifice.

A gravel path leading to the memorial is lined with red Anzac roses and rosemary, a plant found throughout the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey where Australian troops landed in 1915.

Located at the corner of Princes Highway and Cherry Street, the memorial marks the start of Werribee’s Avenue of Honour, established on the Princes Highway in 1918.

The $184,000 Government project also included a plaque to mark The Governor’s Tree, a large Sugar Gum planted in 1928, at the corner of Princes Highway and Sneydes Road.

A new plaque on local basalt rock has been placed under the tree which celebrates William Calder, a former Country Roads Board chairman credited with developing Victoria’s arterial road network.

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas  

“The contributions made by our brave veterans will never be forgotten and this memorial provides current and future generations with a space to reflect and pay their respect.” 

“The Governor’s Tree is a local landmark and celebrates William Calder, whose vision inspired the road network Victorians rely on every day.”