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Centenary of FederationPrint Page 
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. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| 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 |
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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
