The year in review

NATIONAL OFFICE

Australia Day Medallion
OAWG Annual Conference
ACT and North Queensland Gardens of Remembrance

	George Tolom, Manager of Rabaul (Bita Paka) War Cemetery, with his Australia Day Medallion

Australia Day Medallion

The National Australia Day Medallion allocated to the Office of Australian War Graves, Department of Veterans’ Affairs was awarded this year to Mr George Tolom, Manager, Bita Paka War Cemetery. The Director’s commendation read:

‘George joined the Office of Australian War Graves in 1994 after an 18 year career in the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Since then he has consistently ensured the maintenance of Bita Paka War Cemetery has been of the highest standard.

Bita Paka War Cemetery is well known throughout the world for its beauty, the colourful plants and the neatness of lawns and garden beds. Senior representatives from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission have commented on the very high standard achieved by George and his staff over many years. From the sweeping lawns at the entrance to the last headstone at the rear of the Cemetery, the standard is consistently high. The Cemetery entrance is particularly impressive and well maintained. Without doubt the standard of maintenance achieved is world class.

Despite the difficulties of the remote location of Bita Paka War Cemetery, numerous visitors have commented on its tranquil beauty and manicured grounds. George has achieved such a high standard through good supervision of staff and the excellent maintenance of equipment and assets.

George’s contribution is highly regarded by me and all those who have visited Bita Paka War Cemetery.’

OAWG Annual Conference

All OAWG State Managers, PNG Liaison Manager and Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum Manager attended the OAWG Annual Conference, conducted at National Office, Canberra from 10–12 September 2002. The conference was supported by National Office staff who attended many of the sessions, including Contracting and Audit; OH&S; Enterprise Agreement and issues relating to the Balanced Scorecard.
During the course of the program, conference attendees also had the opportunity to visit the Australian War Memorial and, in particular, the recently opened Anzac Hall.

The Managers considered the conference very successful and of great value to them as it allowed the exchange of information between managers on various issues such as turf and horticulture management, pest control and maintenance procedures.

ACT and North Queensland Gardens of Remembrance

Gardens of Remembrance are an almost exclusively Australian form of official commemoration and consist of commemorative walls within a landscaped garden. Where official commemoration cannot be provided at the gravesite or crematorium, eligible veterans are commemorated in perpetuity by individual bronze plaques mounted on these walls. The landscaped gardens enable family or next-of-kin to view the plaques of loved ones in a peaceful and tranquil environment.

As well as the new Northern Territory Garden of Remembrance, opened this year, OAWG plans to construct Gardens of Remembrance in North Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory over the next two years, to further improve the service to the veteran community in those areas.

In 2002 OAWG was offered a prominent site for the construction of the North Queensland Garden of Remembrance by Townsville City Council. The site, located in Anzac Park on the Strand, provides a significant place in this heritage listed area. The Park includes several important war memorials and is protected as a commemorative and recreational space. Townsville company Tippett Schrock Architects was engaged in late 2001 to design the new Garden. Regrettably the design was rejected by the Queensland Heritage Council, based on their concerns about the impact of the development on the cultural significance of the Park.

The ACT Public Cemeteries Trust offered a choice of several sites in the Gungahlin and Woden Public Cemeteries for construction of an ACT Garden of Remembrance. The Director of War Graves has written to ex-Service and Veteran community organisations advising them of the preference and reasoning to construct the proposed ACT Garden of Remembrance at Gungahlin Cemetery and has invited comment. Construction is programmed to begin late 2003.

I write to thank the Office of Australian War Graves and the personnel who so kindly made available photographs of my brother’s grave and memorial. Whilst it has not been possible for me to visit, it is a comfort to know that my brother’s burial site is being maintained.