Kangaroo Ground Memorial Tower (Kangaroo Ground)

The main feature of Kangaroo Ground War Memorial Park is the 12-metre (39 ft) Tower of Remembrance which was opened in 1926. The memorial to local soldiers is a brick, basalt and concrete tower with a facing from local rock.

Tall conifers surround the tower, hiding it almost completely; however, from the viewing platform at the top of the tower, which is open to the public and accessible by 53 steep internal stairs, panoramic views are available over the treetops.

There is a viewing platform next to the tower. From the platform you can see the Dandenongs, the city of Melbourne, the You Yangs, Mount Macedon, the Kinglake Ranges and the Mt Baw-Baw Ranges where the Yarra River starts. Inside the viewing platform there are eight double sided interpretive panels giving the history and information regarding this area. The viewing platform's interpretive panels set out the Aboriginal and European history of the area and also the geology and the local flora and fauna.

During summer, the tower is used for fire spotting.

There are toilets, picnic facilities and gardens. It is open daily and closes at dusk.

Some panels on the site include the following information:

The Kangaroo Ground Memorial Park opened in 1921, and the Tower of Remembrance was unveiled in 1926 in honour of all those of the district who fought and died in the First World War 1914 - 18. It was built from local sandstone and based on the design of a Scottish watchtower. The local community also planted rosemary and a pine sapling from Gallipoli around the foot of the tower.

During World War 1, around 40% of Australia's male population aged between 18 and 44 enlisted with a 65% casualty rate. At this time, the Shire of Eltham covered an area from Lower Plenty to Yarra Glen with a population of 3,500. Like many other communities, the war had a major impact with so much pain and loss. Consequently, war memorials were established throughout the Shire including cenotaphs, avenues of honour, memorial parks and honour rolls at schools, halls and churches.

Tragic Consequences - The impact of the war on returned servicemen and the wider community lingered for many years. Shell-shock, debilitating physical injuries and ongoing psychological issues plagued the veterans for the rest of their days. Depression and suicide were common. Returned serviceman Gordon Carter was in ill health and depressed following the war. Tragically, after wandering around the area for several days following the 1936 Anzac Day ceremony, he took his own life near the Memorial Tower.

Robert Jubilee Harris - Robert was born at Kangaroo Ground and attended the Panton Hill Primary School. He worked as a printer with his father who was the publisher of the Evelyn Observer, later known as the Eltham and Whittlesea Advertiser. Robert enlisted in July 1915 and embarked for the battlefields one month later. In early 1916 he was hospitalised for influenza and was killed in the Battle of Fromelles on the night of 19 July 1916, aged 29 years. This is recognised as the worst 24 hours in Australian history, with almost 2000 killed and 5,533 casualties in one night. Like so many other servicemen, Robert Harris's body was never found.

Kangaroo Ground Memorial Tower (Kangaroo Ground)

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