Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408:front:0:p305
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L00408
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 930928–933535

contrast between the openness of the space (which was valued highly) and the enclosing trees,

    'it's the Australian bush what the country is made of... so you have the wide open plains of Australia and the bush... you can't separate those two things'  (Focus Group 2)

And with these trees comes the chorus of cockatoos, often joining in the Anzac Day Dawn Service, occasionally with a Kookaburra.  While the memorials are not thought to be important to all Australians, the trees are.  Of course to those with service connections, the memorials are significant.

    'All the memorials are equally important – all part of our history and they are inscribed there and should stay... they each support the other'  (Focus Group 2)

    'All memorials are important and each adds to the story – we have named it at a particular spot in time (Anzac) but the story started before that and goes on into the future... it is a concrete telling of the story... every memorial is equally important as part of that story... and you need to see it that way in its entirety... When you come to an individual memorial it is much more personal... extreme significance for families who have lost people... even true for the [yet to be realised] Boer War memorial...'  (Fred, Focus Group 2)

The centre piece – the median with its constancy of colour – is important symbolically – while the scoria offering an ideal material to march on and the planter boxes are a spot to sit while waiting for 'the action' to start (Focus Group 1).

The fact that it is a parade – in name, in design and in its use – is vitally important,

    'Its name is important – it is a parade... you can fit a goodly number of servicemen on... they can be all seen at the same time... it's our national parade ground... gives you a special feeling to march on it... it's our democratic parade ground... an open vista'  (Fred, Focus Group 2)

Others reinforced the experience of marching on the parade, noting it has a special significance for Korean and Vietnam personnel as part of long-overdue recognition for their service.

The idea of the place as a precinct, with links visually and symbolically, is an important attribute.  For some it is hallowed ground.

Changing values and changing communities

Given that the importance of Anzac Parade for the wider community hinges to some extent on the connections to the concept of Anzac and to the largest public ceremonies held in Anzac Parade being Anzac Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November), the question arises as to whether the cultural connections to these two ceremonies will