The memorial for the World War II cruiser HMAS Sydney is located on Gummer Avenue, at the summit of Mount Scott.
The memorial recognises the loss of the light cruiser during a mutually destructive fight with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran off Shark Bay in November 1941, with none of the 645 crewmen aboard surviving.
A temporary memorial, consisting of a large boulder, a flagpole, and a bronze plaque, was erected in 1998.
A permanent memorial was dedicated on 18 November 2001, the day before the 60th anniversary.
The HMAS Sydney memorial is made up of four major elements: 1.
A stele, based on the ships prow; 2.
A granite wall listing the ships company; 3.
A bronze statue of a woman looking out to sea and waiting in vain for Sydney to return; and 4.
A dome made up of 645 stainless steel seagulls.
The 645 Stainless steel seagulls represent the souls of the lost sailors.
In Folklore, birds such as seagulls are sometimes known as 'soul birds' because they are regarded as the souls of people who died at sea. (
Armstrong,1958) Sydney
In May 2009, the memorial was recognised by the Australian government as being of national significance.
The memorial for the World War II cruiser HMAS Sydney is located on Gummer Avenue, at the summit of Mount Scott. The memorial recognises the loss of the light cruiser during a mutually destructive fight with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran off Shark Bay in November 1941, with none of the 645 crewmen aboard surviving. A temporary memorial, consisting of a large boulder, a flagpole, and a bronze plaque, was erected in 1998. A permanent memorial was dedicated on 18 November 2001, the day before the 60th anniversary. The HMAS Sydney memorial is made up of four major elements: 1. A stele, based on the ships prow; 2. A granite wall listing the ships company; 3. A bronze statue of a woman looking out to sea and waiting in vain for Sydney to return; and 4. A dome made up of 645 stainless steel seagulls. The 645 Stainless steel seagulls represent the souls of the lost sailors. In Folklore, birds such as seagulls are sometimes known as 'soul birds' because they are regarded as the souls of people who died at sea. (Armstrong,1958) Sydney
In May 2009, the memorial was recognised by the Australian government as being of national significance.
Geraldton