Gippsland Immigration Wall of RecognitionPrint Page

The Gippsland Immigration Wall of Recognition commemorates the contribution of immigrants to the development of Gippsland. The monument is a series of bronze plaques depicting the past and present life of the many thousands of migrants who have settled in Gippsland.

The statue, cast in bronze, is the central figure of the Gippsland Immigration Wall of Recognition. The 2 metre high statue represents a healthy young immigrant worker arriving in Australia. He has a couple of bags, a battered suitcase and one handmade bag in which he holds all his possessions and tools of trade. His stance is surefooted but straining slightly forward, with his hand shading his face against the harsh Australian sun as he begins this new stage of life.

The statue was constructed in the traditional method by William Eicholtz, using the ‘lost wax’ casting method. In a semi-circle around the statue are seven walls of granite. Four of these walls have bronze plaques on the north side of which there is a graphic display of the history of immigration into Gippsland using four themes - 'Departing / Arriving, Settling, Working, Achieving'. The remaining three walls facing north have the names of immigrant families who have lived and worked in Gippsland. The south facing walls are available for the inscription of further names, some of which have already been inscribed. One of the plaques also includes text explaining the history of immigration into Gippsland.

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