Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Recently, I had the privilege of being invited to the unveiling of the refurbished memorial walk and historical archives at Pingelly, one of the many close-knit communities in the Wheatbelt of my electorate of O'Connor. This memorial walk and historical archive was a three-year collaborative project undertaken by the Pingelly RSL and the Pingelly Museum and Historical Group, as well as the Pingelly Community Resource Centre, who were supported by several community groups and local volunteers.

The importance of preserving stories and passing them on as an inheritance to our children has not been lost on the Pingelly community. This collaborative community project not only contributes to the beautiful aesthetic of Pingelly but is also a place to remember and reflect on the sacrifices that were made and are still being made for our freedom. Many of the men who left the Pingelly community to serve their country sent their pay packets home to their mothers, their wives and their families. A large proportion of them did not return home, and yet their legacy remains within the Pingelly community and is now conserved in this beautifully refurbished memorial walk.

It was an honour to witness the unveiling of this memorial walk and historical archive in the presence of notable men who served and continue to serve our country, such as George Smith. Mr Smith spent three years as a prisoner of war in Changi prison. Damien Spencer, the RSL president and another returned serviceman, is a volunteer with the local firefighting brigade and also the ambulance brigade.

People such as these are invaluable assets to their communities. The refurbished memorial walk and historical archive is a great achievement that has been, and will continue to be, celebrated and valued by the Pingelly community.