About $200,000 of structural work is required for the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross to meet safety standards.
A committee is confident Anzac Day Services will go ahead this year at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross, despite urgent and costly repairs required for the monument.
About $200,000 of structural work is required for the cross to meet safety standards and host its annual Anzac Dawn Service on April 25 – the second biggest in Victoria, after the Shrine of Remembrance.
The committee has already received $50,000 worth of funding donated by individuals and local organisations.
In a statement, the committee said, “Excavation has commenced, shop drawings have been finalised, and fabrication is now in progress.
“As funds are received, they are being paid directly toward construction costs to ensure the project continues to move forward without delay.
“Despite strong community support to date, the project remains approximately $150,000 short of the funds required to complete the current stage of works and secure readiness for Anzac Day commemorations.
“The Mount Macedon Memorial Cross Committee is deeply grateful to the individuals, families and organisations who have already contributed. Their generosity has ensured that construction could commence and that this important Victorian memorial continues to stand proudly as a place of remembrance.
“With builders on site, every dollar received now has immediate impact. As money comes in, it goes directly to paying contractors and progressing works. The goal is clear: to have the site prepared and secure in time for Anzac Day, honouring the service and sacrifice of Australian men and women.
“The Committee remains hopeful that organisations and individuals who have not yet been involved in supporting the Memorial Cross will step forward during this critical stage.
“This is a defining moment for one of Victoria’s most significant memorial landmarks. Community support now will determine how quickly and confidently the works can be completed”.
A POTENTIAL $150K
Before the structural integrity of the cross was put in doubt, the Memorial Committee submitted a grant application to the Department of Veterans Affairs, to receive funds for the construction of a memorial garden at the cross.
Federal MP Matt Keogh, the minister for Veterans Affairs, announced 72 recipients for this grant; $1.3 million was awarded in total, with most community organisations receiving about $10,000.
The Mount Macedon Memorial Cross Committee received the largest sum of funding with $150,000 “to create a Garden of Commemoration at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross Reserve”.
Now, they are working with relevant authorities – Rob Mitchell MP and the DVA – to see if they can have these funds channelled to the cross repairs. The outcome of this venture is still yet to be known.
WILL THERE BE TEA?
Rumours have also swirled about the future of the Top of the Range Tea Rooms café, located near the cross for its visitors. The empty café has sat dormant since since March last year after a hospitality group won a tender from Parks Victoria to be the new leaseholders. Parks Victoria confirmed to the Express, the lease is still intact and the hospitality group are waiting on permits to be approved from the local council. Food trucks are on site for the interim.
