Kangaroo March - Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
S 35° 06.580 E 147° 22.213
55H E 533738 N 6114732
This Historical Marker in Victory Memorial Park is for the recruitment drive and march of late 1915, for the First World War.
Waymark Code: WMZNY5
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Date Posted: 12/10/2018
Views: 2
This Historical Mark is at the southern edge of the Victory Memorial Gardens and mounted on an angled bracket on a square steel post. While reading this, you would be facing the Memorial Arch, with the Chisholm Fountain also in sight. The sign reads:
WAGGA WAGGA
KANGAROO MARCH
1915
In late 1915 and early 1916 recruitment marches were held across
the country. The longest march in NSW and QLD was the
Kangaroo March which began on 1 December 1915.
Eighty eight Wagga Wagga men volunteered - most in their early 20's.
By the time the men reached the outskirts of Sydney there was over
220 in all. They marched with rousing cheer, stirring music and
sustenance support from townsfolk along the way to Harefield,
Junee, Illabo, Bethungra, Cootamundra and Wallendbeen.
At Wallendbeen on 9th December, they were addressed by the
Governor-General of Australia. The March continued to
Murrumburrah then Harden, through Galong, Binalong and Bowning
to Yass, averaging 8.8 miles per day before finishing at
Campbelltown where the Kangaroo recruits went by train into
Sydney so as to retain the country contingent.
The March captivated the early war years sentiment of the times.
Visited: 1544, Friday, 1 June, 2018