Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Tuesday I had the pleasure of visiting the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum located in the city's portside precinct on the Mary River. It is a great museum that each year attracts military enthusiasts from around the country and teaches schoolkids in my electorate about the sacrifice of their forebears. The 120-year-old building is as old as Maryborough's military history itself. Brave people from Wide Bay have fought and died for this country since the Boer War. I encourage everyone from Wide Bay and beyond to visit the museum. The displays are excellently preserved, ranging from items from the HMAS Maryborough to vehicles, uniforms, scale models and artwork. There is something for everyone. It was a treat to hear the music played by locals on the piano as I walked around the historic building which once served as a spirits warehouse.

As we commemorate the centenary of World War I, learning more about the personal stories of the Anzacs who fought for our country was of particular meaning to me. Almost 60,000 Queenslanders enlisted in World War I, with many of them never returning home. One of them was Duncan Chapman. Born in Maryborough, he served in the Wide Bay Regiment before heading to Gallipoli by ship. He was the first man ashore when the diggers arrived at Anzac Cove on that fateful day. He survived but was killed a year later in Pozieres. The museum honours his service with an amazing timber bust sculpted by a local artist.

I learned much about the service of Australian troops in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as well as today in Afghanistan and Iraq. The museum is filled with medals—a testament to the courage and valour shown by all the Australian armed forces. We must always remember the men and women of this country who keep us safe. Their sacrifice is the reason we enjoy living in such a free country today. We in this House spar and disagree, and we are able to do so only because people stood up to defend these liberties. Many of them paid the ultimate price for their patriotism. Lest we forget.

I acknowledge the museum's curator, John Meyers, and his team of dedicated volunteers, who have created a special place to reflect, commemorate and learn. John and his wife, Else, run the museum not for profit as a service for all who visit. John was awarded an Order of Australia in 2013 for his philanthropy. He is a community hero whose work should inspire us all. It is a reminder for us all in regional Australia of the need to get involved in our local communities and preserve the rich history of our towns and their people.