Arch of Victory - Ballarat, Victoria
Posted by: 
bucketeer
S 37° 33.201 E 143° 48.790
54H E 748505 N 5840019
A large arch commemorating the men and women of Ballarat who served in the First World War.
Waymark Code: WME9J2
Location: Victoria, Australia
Date Posted: 04/23/2012
Views: 24
The Arch of Victory is the only one of its scale and significance in Victoria and marks the start of the nation's longest roadside avenue, the Avenue of Honour, with 3,800 trees stretching more than 22 kilometres. Plantings along the avenue began in 1917 to commemorate the soldiers, sailors and nurses from the district who served during World War One. The Arch and the Avenue were initiated by Ballarat textile company E. Lucas & Co. with over 400 girls employed by the company being involved in raising the necessary finance and planting the 3,800 trees. The Arch cost £22,105 to construct.
The Arch of Victory is a grand cement rendered masonry structure of a single central arch flanked by wide piers 20 metres in width and 18 metres in height. The Arch is crowned by the 'Rising Sun' symbol of the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces beneath which the words Avenue of Honour and Victory are written prominently across the Arch. The foundation stone of the Arch of Victory was laid on 7 February 1920 by General Sir William Birdwood and the Arch was officially unveiled on the 3 June 1920 by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The Arch is comprised of 70,000 bricks and was erected in just over three months by a team of bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers and labourers under 'master' bricklayer George Brookes.
Information was taken from nearby information boards
Type: Triumphal (Monument/Memorial)
Subtype: Memorial
Location: Old Western Highway / Avenue of Honour
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