Busselton War Memorial
The Busselton War Memorial is likely to have a new home just across the river in Rotary Park, after Busselton RSL received Federal Government funding for the project. 
The current cenotaph is in need of numerous repairs, with mistakes on many of the plaques. This project will provide an opportunity to correct errors, as well as include the names of fallen nurses who have previously not been commemorated.
Furthermore, the new location will make carparks and toilets more accessible, as visits to the memorial and attendance at services gain popularity.
The project will install a new Memorial Walk, plaques and flag poles and add a new granite base and limestone walls for the updated honour boards.
The City will help fund the project, with funds allocated in its long-term financial plan.
There are no plans to relocate the Memorial Wall yet, but the RSL invites interested people to get in touch so they could be involved in future planning for it.
The federal funding was announced by Forrest MP Nola Marino, and comes as part of the Saluting their Service Commemorative Grant from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
For more information, please get in touch with the Busselton RSL on: email@busseltonrsl.org.au or call 08 9752 2488.
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FAQs
Why has Rotary Park been chosen as the preferred location?
- Rotary Park has been chosen as the potential new location for the cenotaph, due to its prime location on the Vasse River, which includes;
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- Adequate parking
- Provision of public toilets
- A quiet location, ideal for reflection and is in
- Close proximity to the RSL
- Allows for easy road closures
Will the Memorial Wall move or stay?
At this stage, there are no plans to relocate the memorial wall and it will remain in Victoria Square.
Any future consideration to relocate the memorial wall will occur in discussion families of those commemorated at the wall.
When will the project commence?
This project has not yet started.
The timeline for this project is subject to further community engagement, the dredging of the Vasse River and other City of Busselton planned works. The Vasse River requires a second stage of dredging, which will be subject to a procurement process and won't be complete until June 2023.
How much will the project cost?
The RSL has made significant contributions to the War Memorial project; both through obtaining funding, and in-kind contributions.
The RSL were successful in an application for a $150,000 ‘Saluting their Service’ grant through the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2015, the RSL also carried out a project worth $36,000 to commission a series of memorial plaques, to commemorate those who have served in all combats.
Associated landscaping costs will be covered by the City of Busselton, with the total project cost equating to approximately $500,000.