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THE Rising Sun Memorial is in its final resting place, proudly on Swansea shores.
On Anzac Day, it will be the centre-piece of Swansea RSL’s first dawn service in many years.
As it was positioned on Thursday, the Anzac spirit it symbolises was well and alive.
The memorial’s 18-month journey has endured courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship.
Many organisations worked together from the concept stage and this teamwork was evident through to the last phase.
The eight-metre wide, 2.5-tonne memorial was shipped from its creators Smith Sculptors in Western Australia in two pieces to Newcastle.
From here, its progress was managed by PDA Building.
Due to logistics, it was decided the memorial be assembled at JC Sheet Metal at Edgeworth, instead of on site.
It was the moved to Swansea by Betts Bower Haulage on a low loader with independent steering. This was needed for it to fit under power lines and manoeuvre in narrow streets around the RSL club.
Wheeler Cranes of Tomago then came into action, taking the memorial from the loader to the site, where it was dynabolted and welded into position.
PDA Building’s Tim Mott said it was placed so when the sun rose, it would appear through the arc’s centre.
Mr Mott said it was worked out mathematically but he travelled down a couple of mornings before installation to check the sun’s exact position.
The $111,000 project was funded by the federal and state governments; Swansea RSL Club and sub-branch; Catherine Hill Bay RSL Club and the Newcastle Maritime Centre.
It is a replica of Rising Sun Memorial in Onslow, Western Australia, which was inspired by Australian Army’s Rising Sun insigna that was worn by 1st and 2nd Australian Imperial Force in World War One as a badge on the upturned side of a slouch hat. It has since become a part of the digger tradition and associated with the Anzac legend.
The Onslow memorial was installed in 2008 and has become a tourist attraction.
The two memorials will have their dawning two hours apart and its hoped in the future, the twining memorials will be known as Australia’s largest military memorial.