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Centenary of FederationPrint Page Print this page

28-June-2020
28-June-2020

Photographs supplied by John Huth

The Federation Pillars and Yarn Pit commemorate the centenary of the Federation of the Australian colonies in 1901.

The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self governing colonies of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia formed one nation.  When the Constitution of Australia came into force, on 1 January 1901, the colonies collectively became states of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Location

Address:Rifle Range Road, Botanical Gardens, Emerald, 4720
State:QLD
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -23.536606
Long: 148.164767
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Government
Sub-Theme:Federal
Actual Event Start Date:01-January-1901
Actual Event End Date:01-January-2001
Designer:Myra Stanton & Lawrie Smith
Artist:Alice McLaughlin
Monument Manufacturer:Emerald Shire Council and volunteers

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:January-2001
Front Inscription

Federation Pillars and Yarn Pit  

Introduction

The year 2001 marks the celebration of various events that have occured within our great nation.  We celebrate the Federation of Australia, when Australia threw off her colonial mantle and stood as a proud and independent nation.  With this anniversary in mind, it was our wish to construct an appropriate legacy with a physical impact that would be powerfully symbolic in it`s message (time).  Our nation is a product of our past events.

The paintings on the Federation Pillars are intended to reflect our Australian identity with special emphasis on our own Emerald Shire.  There are ten pillars and each one represents one decade of history since Federation.

The Yarn Pit.  All over the world, people love to talk about the things that happen around them.  From primitive tribesmen to restless executives, from birthday toddlers to ageing millionaires, where people gather some type of communication occurs.  Talking is one of the few activiites that has managed to transcend the enormous social, cultural, political and geographical barriers between people in this world of ours.  The Yarn Pit seemed to be a very symbolic structure to build with these issues in mind.  It is a meeting place where people can come and reflect, explore, and hopefully return. Its very shape being round allows us to be able to sit and have a view of everyone present.

The trees. 100 trees have been planted to re-establish pre European plant communities.  One tree for every 100 years.

The much loved Botanic Gardens proved to be the most perfect place to build these powerfully symbolic structures.

Concept : Myra Stanton Design : Lawrie Smith Art : Alice McLaughlin

This project was funded by the Emerald Shire Council

Construction : Emerald Shire Council and volunteers

January 2001

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au