Special Anzac Day event at Zoo Cairn, to remember a very special veteran
Among local Anzac Day memorials, it’s certainly not the biggest and bestknown in the golden west.
But today, Thursday, April 25, it will be the centre of a very special memorial event for a wonderful local man.
The Cairn at Dubbo Zoo will, this year for the first time, feature a worked metal catafalque party of cut-out “soldiers” at its four corners, a project partly-driven by former vet, Andrew Livingston, who didn’t get to live to see its completion.
The service at 11am today, is a special tribute to not only Andrew, but all Australians who served their country in its time of need, John Gibson from Dubbo Community Men’s Shed said.
“The cairn was built about 30 years’ ago for the Zoo staff to recognise those who had served their country, it’s basically a pyramid made from local stone, John said.
“Last year we helped renovated the site, just cleaned it up, replaced some posts that had become rotten, and held a bit of a service out there on Anzac Day,” he added.
It was after this that John was inspired to create a special tribute at the site, with help from locals, to replicate the four service men and women posted as a tradition at most Australian Anzac Day services.
“I had an idea to install a ‘Catafalque Party’ at the Cairn, and I thought the easiest way, would be with metal, so I approached Phil Goatcher at Steel Supplies in Boothenba Road, and they donated the sheet steel needed for the soldiers.
“Andrew organised the soldiers to be cut-out by David Stuart at Narromine High School, who also donated their time and expertise,” John said.
A range of other groups also put their bit in to make the project a reality, John said.
“Once the soldiers were cut-out approaches were made to the Davis family at Dubbo Powder Coating, who agreed to powder coat the soldiers at no charge, which is amazing, this whole project was done by the local community, and all I did was ask.
“Kathleen Oke, who is the Manager of Facilities and Asset Operations at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, was behind the project from the start, and thought it would be well-reviewed by the staff and visitors at the Zoo,” he added.
Andrew’s recent passing will add both sadness and poignancy to the special ceremony on Anzac Day, he said.
“Sadly, since this project was completed our Shed Treasurer, Andrew Livingston, passed away due to a recurring brain tumour in February this year.
‘So, we are dedicating this project in memory of Andrew, a good man taken too young… with our condolences to Barbara and her two girls,” he concluded.