THE WAY WE WERE
ANZAC DAY: A view of tree-lined Margaret St, looking east with the Mothers’ Memorial and the intersection with Ruthven St in the foreground. The Mothers’ Memorial at Toowoomba is historically significant as the site of military recruitment for World War I and as the location for Toowoomba’s Anzac Day Commemoration since 1916. It is one of very few such memorials commissioned by women and is outstanding for its elegance and appropriate symbolism. This form of memorial and the use of trachyte stone appears to be unique in Queensland. Amidst great controversy the Toowoomba Mothers’ Memorial was relocated from its original position at the main city intersection. Names from Toowoomba, Yalangur, Westbrook, Wyreema, Gowrie Junctions and Meringandan are listed on the memorial, built by mothers to honour their soldier sons who did not return from World War I. After World War I mothers sold Sweet Violets to raise funds for the erection of the Mothers’ Memorial and this became commonly known as the Toowoomba violet. For this reason, in October 1996 the Toowoomba City Council voted to change the species of violet used as the city’s floral emblem to the Sweet Violet. The memorial was relocated and rededicated on 10-November-1985. The memorial was unveiled by the Governor of Queensland, Sir Matthew Nathan on January 28 1922 in the presence of a large crowd. After delivering his address His Excellency unveiled the memorial and the Toowoomba Philarmonic Choir then sang the anthem “What Are These” . His Excellency then placed the first wreath from the Mothers Memorial Committee on the memorial.