Sydenham Memorial

Image Memorial Plaques
Memorial
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Image Station & Memorial
Remembrance Day Dedication at Sydenham 2006

Brimbank Mayor, Cr Natalie Suleyman, greeted residents of Sydenham and surrounds who attended the official dedication of the Sydenham Memorial on Remembrance Day, Saturday 11 November at 10am.

The Mayor, Councillors, members of the Sunshine RSL and Sydenham Historical Society and representatives from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs were among those to gather at the new Sydenham Memorial located opposite the Watergardens Train Station.

“With Remembrance Day upon us, we all take great pride on November 11 to remember our fallen soldiers at the new Sydenham Memorial,” Cr Suleyman said.

“November 11 serves as an opportunity to remember those men and women who have died or suffered in wars and conflicts, as well as those who have served during the past 100 years. And we will do this for the first time at our own War Memorial.”

Cr Suleyman has worked closely with the Sydenham Historical Society and the local community to see this project come to fruition.

The Memorial is being built at a cost of $47,688 including a contribution of $9000 from the Sunshine RSL sub-branch, $2750 from the Department of Veterans Affairs and $35,938 from Council.

Cr Suleyman said the relocation of the original memorial plaques to the new site would enable people to keep in touch with Sydenham’s rich history.

“The Memorial Plaques, which are dedicated to the Sydenham residents who fought and died in World Wars I and II have been in Council’s care since 2000,” Cr Suleyman said.

“Along with the Sydenham Historical Society and members of the local community I have been firmly committed to the care and maintenance of the plaques and to have them restored on public display so that we never forget those local residents who gave their lives in those campaigns of war.

“I’m very pleased that the plaques will have a final and permanent resting place and that local residents will soon have an appropriate site at which to reflect and commemorate on occasions such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day.”

The history of the Memorial Plaques
Sydenham was a proud farming community between 1900 -1980. Records indicate the first public hall was built in Sydenham around 1912-1917.

A second hall (a mess hall) was brought to Sydenham by bullock from the Army Camp at Royal Park in the early 1930s and named the Sydenham Public Hall. This hall, located on what is now known as the Melton Highway, played an important role in raising funds for Australian soldiers during wartime and for the Australian Red Cross. It was a popular venue for Saturday night dances for the local farming community, as well as residents from surrounding districts.

The Memorial Gates were built on the site in 1947 at a cost of Ten Pounds and were dedicated to the memory of Private Jackie Hughes, who died a prisoner of war in Malaya in 1942, and Private James F Hughes, who was killed in action in New Guinea in 1945. The War Memorial Plaques, placed on the pillars besides the gates, list the names of Sydenham residents who fought, and some who died, in World War I and II.

Several events resulted in the removal of landmarks and memorabilia from the original hall site in more recent years including:
• The closure of the Public Hall in 1988
• The closure of the Sydenham Primary School after a fire
• The theft of the War Memorial Gates in 1996

The former Keilor Council replaced the hall with a portable building while investigating options for providing Sydenham with a new community facility. The Sydenham Community Centre in Community Hub was constructed in January 1993 and, in keeping with the community concept, the Primary School and recreation centre was built next door. The World War I honour roll was taken to the Sydenham Primary School and has since been relocated to the Keilor East RSL.

The Memorial Plaques were also vandalised, so Council in consultation with the local community, undertook to refurbish the plaques and relocate them to the new Sydenham Community Centre in Community Hub. The location was considered accessible for the entire community, and provided residents with an opportunity to better honour those soldiers who gave so much for their country.
As the suburbs of Sydenham, Delahey, Taylors Lakes and Hillside grew, it became obvious to Council that the Sydenham Community Centre needed to be extended. However, the extension works in 2000 resulted in the memorial plaques being located on an internal administrative office wall.


Reprinted by Sydenham & District Historical Society Inc. with kind permission of Brimbank City Council.



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