Wednesday 2 May 2018

Queens Gardens

Last Wednesday was Anzac Day, celebrated in Australia and New Zealand to commemorate our fallen soldiers not only from  WW1 and WW11 but also other conflicts we have taken part in. On Thursday I thought I'd like to go into the city and see the wreaths on the cenotaph there.


The Dunedin cenotaph is situated at Queens Gardens, a nice little park not quite in the city centre. Toitu Early Settlers Museum and the Chinese Garden are just across the road and in the summer it is quite a nice spot to have a picnic lunch.


When we arrived there a small preschool group having morning tea and the teachers were talking to them about the flowers and wreaths there. I think they may even have put a little wreath on the step as there was one made from little hand prints but unfortunately I didn't get a picture of it.



A wee way north of the cenotaph, still in the park, is this memorial to the men who have been awarded the Victoria Cross in various conflicts - the Maori War (1864), The African War (1899-1902), The Great War (1914-1918), The World War (1939-1945), and Afghanistan. The Victoria Cross is the highest military award for 'valour in the face of the enemy' in the British Commonwealth.



Of course there are one or two other monuments in the park, one being the Celtic Cross. In 2001 it was presented to the city on behalf of the Christian Churches of Dunedin and is also known locally as the millennium cross.


And of naturally there is a statue of the lady the garden was named for - Queen Victoria. I always think she is a rather stern and unapproachable looking figure. Very much the monarch.


Well that's it this week,
see you next time,
Diana