Community & Business
9 November, 2022
Museum revamped ahead of Remembrance Day 2022
A MOSSMAN war museum has received a makeover and is ready to welcome new visitors ahead of Remembrance Day.
The team at Mossman RSL added hand-crafted boats and planes among other pieces of war memorabilia to their current collection over the past few months.
Mossman RSL secretary Wally Gray now believes the venue is ready to welcome visitors and school groups.
“We have some really interesting pieces on display, the war ships are hand crafted from scratch, we have old newspaper clippings, ex-military firearms, a medal display board and much more,” he said.
Most of the memorabilia was donated by the local community over the years, the big poppy field was donated by Port Douglas CWA, the mosaic made from images of cenotaphs from Australia and New Zealand was donated by Mossman Bowls Club and the artwork outside the building was painted by students at the Mossman State High School.
“A lot of spirit and hard work has gone into creating this museum and we would really like to share it with the community.”
The museum, which has been collecting the memorabilia since 1918, also has a library where members can borrow books to read, or the public can read them on site.
If anyone would like to visit, please give Wally a call on 0448 686 415 for a tour.
The museum opens on request, ahead of the Douglas Remembrance Day service outside Council’s Mossman Administration Building on Front Street.
Remembrance Day is the anniversary of the Armistice that ended fighting with Germany in World War I.
People around the world observe one minute’s silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, marking when the Armistice came into effect.
Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said it was an important day to pause and reflect.
“Douglas had more than 220 local soldiers enlisted in World War One, including the 41 who died on the battlefield, so it is important to remember the sacrifice they made so we could live freely in this beautiful part of the world,” he said.
“I would like to invite everyone down to the Remembrance Day service to unite in solemn respect and remembrance for those who served and died.”
Douglas Shire Council and Mossman RSL invite the public to attend and lay a wreath from 10.30am on Thursday 11 November.
