Speeches
Sunday, 01 March 2026
Centenary of Macclesfield War Memorial
Rod and I are pleased to be with you for today’s rededication service, marking one hundred years since this community came together to honour the men and women of Macclesfield who answered the nation's call.
My term as Governor has coincided with the centenaries of a significant number of war memorials across our state, established to honour First World War servicemen and women.
It’s been my privilege to take part in centenary ceremonies in metropolitan Adelaide as well as in the Adelaide Hills, Burra, the South East, and Port Augusta.
Each occasion has been a profound reminder of the deep imprint war leaves on communities, no matter how much time passes.
The ceremonies have deepened my understanding of what local war memorials truly mean to small towns and communities across this country.
They are not simply monuments; they are, in a very real sense, collective headstones for the families of those sons and daughters who were killed overseas and whose bodies never came home for burial.
They have stood, over the generations, as a focal point and a constant reminder of the service and sacrifice made in our name, so that we might be the beneficiaries of the peace and prosperity we enjoy today.
I am heartened to be here in Macclesfield, a community with a history of service dating from the 1860s, when the town raised its own Volunteer Rifle Company.
More than 750 men and women from this district have worn the uniform of the nation, going right back to the Boer War, and 28 have made the supreme sacrifice.
The memorial before us honours those who served in the First and Second World Wars, as well as later conflicts, including Malaya, Borneo, Korea and Vietnam.
It honours lives shaped by service, sacrifice, and a deep sense of duty to something larger than themselves.
I note that this memorial is fashioned from Macclesfield marble, renowned for its quality and unique colours.
It lends the memorial a significance that goes beyond commemoration alone, for it is built from the same earth those it honours once called home.
The same distinctive stone graces some of our nation’s most enduring public monuments, including the National War Memorial on North Terrace in Adelaide.
Friends,
I am grateful to the Macclesfield RSL Sub Branch for its important role preserving the memory of those who served, and in the life of this community more broadly.
I note that the Sub Branch places significant effort on reaching out to the local community, supporting community groups, sporting clubs, service groups and local schools.
This activity demonstrates that the RSL's values of mateship, welfare, and commemoration are as active and alive today in Macclesfield as when the Sub Branch was founded in 1941.
I am deeply encouraged, too, by the Sub Branch's Reach-Out Posts mental health project, a notable contribution currently supporting people across the Adelaide Hills with Mental Health First Aid training, and soon to be rolled out nationally.
This project is a reflection of an organisation that is agile, responsive, and profoundly committed to the wellbeing of the whole community.
As a result of this activity, your membership numbers are growing, which is great to see.
I wish the Macclesfield RSL well for the future as it continues to honour the service people of this region, while providing a focal point for community building.
May you continue to serve this community with distinction, for many years to come.