WWI memorial trail - Brisbane to Gympie

Following the end of WWI, war memorials became a prominent feature for the communities around Australia, and a place to honour service men and women.

The region from Brisbane to Gympie is home to a number of significant and beautiful war memorials.

Starting in Kallangur, there are a number of memorials located in the grounds of the North Leagues and Services Club. The striking memorial gardens include two trophy guns and memorials to battles subsequent to WWI. A WWI Honour Board is also located in the RSL building.

Travelling along Anzac Avenue to Redcliffe, you will notice an abundance of trees on either side of the road. These trees were planted as a post-war construction project which provided employment for returned servicemen—by 1933, 2000 trees were planted here.

Continuing north on Anzac Avenue to Beerburrum, you will find a second memorial avenue of trees. Beerburrum was the centre of Queensland’s first Soldier Settlement, designed to give a secure future to returned servicemen and their families. Find out more about the history of the memorial trees in an interpretation panel on the median strip of Anzac Avenue.

On the way to Montville, head up the range and along the escarpment and take in the spectacular panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast.

Montville’s main street is famous for its many shops and cafés. The Memorial Hall, Memorial Gates and memorial trees are conveniently located off the main street, in Memorial Close.

The historic town of Eumundi is located 35km north of Montville. Eumundi’s Memorial Avenue of Trees is a central feature of this charming town. Every tree has a unique bronze tablet bearing the name, unit, date and place of death of a soldier. The trees follow the main street into town, which also exhibits a number of heritage-listed buildings.

The final stop on the trail is the former gold mining town of Gympie. Elaborate memorial gates frame a laneway off Gympie’s Mary Street and lead to Gympie Memorial Park. This beautiful park includes a striking band rotunda—the focal point of the commemorative gardens and a great spot for a picnic.