Otway Submarine MemorialPrint Page

The submarine is a memorial to those men who served and have served in submarines in both war and peace.

During the years following the change of name from "Germanton" to "Holbrook", Norman Holbrook made a number of visits to the town before his untimely death in 1976. In 1982 his widow, Gundula Holbrook donated his medals to the town. The unlikely link between the inland farming town and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Submarine Squadron developed between 1986 and 1992 when submariners were given Freedom of Entry to the Shire.

Holbrook's vision of erecting a fitting memorial to Australian submariners has become a reality. Following the Navy's gift of the decommisioned OTWAY's 'fin' in 1995, a submarine working party was formed to investigate ways of obtaining a real submarine and overseeing its erection. Finance was the biggest stumbling block. Several thousand dollars were raised by public spirited people and organisations who believed in the project. The gift of $100,000 from Gundula Holbrook, widow of the late Commander Norman D Holbrook enabled the project to forge ahead.

Resolving the problem of moving the submarine inland, the structure was cut into sections and transported by semi-trailer down the Hume Highway. It was reconstructed at Holbrook with the assistance of a team of unemployed trainees during the New Work Opportunities Program co-ordinated by Billabong Skill Share and Holbrook Shire Council.

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