Woodend War Memorial

Drink driving, speed and an out-of-control car resulted in a devastating crash which destroyed the Woodend War Memorial at Ipswich.   Each piece of stone sustained extensive damage with the car coming to rest on top of the toppled monument; remarkably the driver survived.  The original memorial was achieved from successful fundraising by the Woodend Progress Association and had been well cared for by the local community over many decades.

The need to re-instate the monument was immediately prioritised and the expertise of J.H. Wagner & Sons was called upon to re-instate the Sandstone monument in accurate replication of the original monument, complete with carved incised base stone tag of the original stone mason W. Parsons Brisbane.  Some alterations of the monument had taken place since the original supply with the marble inscription panels being replaced with sandblasted granite panels; however in the replacement works a submission was made on the recommendation of J.H. Wagner & Sons to have the panels re-instated in marble to reclaim the original memorial design.  A peaked sandstone spire sits on top of the memorial with beautifully detailed sandstone capping stones featuring bas relief carved Rising Sun emblems, moulding designs and raised WOODEND lettering.   The tapered sandstone die block features recessed Carrara Marble panels with lead letters, positioned onto two sandstone bases and two granite step surrounds.  Skate stoppers have been placed to prevent damage to the step surrounds.