‘Why is the memorial broken at the top?’: ANZAC Day 2026 and the story behind the Woombye Cenotaph

ANZAC Day is fast approaching and 2nd Light Horse Regiment - Woombye Troop will again provide commemorative activities in our local community and across the Sunshine Coast.

Over the years of providing services at the Woombye Cenotaph we have often been asked ‘why is the memorial broken at the top?’.

Let's explore the significant heritage of our Cenotaph and the Woombye community who funded its creation.

It is in fact a prominent example of its kind in Queensland. Following World War 1 there was a national drive to commemorate lives lost in the Great War. These took many forms such as obelisks, urns, crosses, triumphal arches, and columns.

A broken column symbolises an interrupted life, a life cut short and to express profound loss of soldiers who died young. This type of column was an Edwardian/Victorian artistic representation of grief with a laurel wreath as a symbol of honour for those who did not return from war.

The Woombye community began their plan to have a portion of land in town gazetted as an official War Memorial site and raise funds to complete the cenotaph.

The construction cost £121.5s.2p with the offical unveiling on 18 June 1925 by the Governor of Queensland Sir Matthew Nathan.

The Principals of Woombye and Palmwoods Primary Schools and schoolchildren provide a guard of honour for the event. Gates and an arch were erected in April/May 1926, but the gates are no longer in place.

You will note that the upper fence is constructed in a diamond formation to avoid any disrespect by ‘sitting on it’.

Please join us this year at our Dawn Service commencing at 5:30 this ANZAC Day.

You may like to reflect on the significance of our ‘broken column’ as we show respect for those who have fought and died so that we may live in this beautiful country.

A broken column symbolises an interrupted life, a life cut short and to express profound loss of soldiers who died young.