Royal Australian Navy Memorial

General information

The Royal Australian Navy Memorial is dedicated to all those who have served in the Royal Australia Navy and was unveiled by the Queen on the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Navy in 1901.

Also known as `Sailors and Ships - Interaction and Interdependence` this memorial reflects the mutual dependence of sailors and their ships. Bronze figures feature in the memorial and convey the daily activities associated with naval life, while the geometric forms, such as an anchor chain, depict elements of a ship. The torrents of moving water complement the dynamic force of the work.
On 10 July 1911 the Commonwealth Naval Forces were renamed the Royal Australian Navy. The role of the Navy was to provide for the defence of Australia and to cooperate with broader Empire interests. During the First and Second World Wars, the Navy showed the Australian people the importance of naval forces to a maritime nation. Serving on all oceans of the world, the Royal Australian Navy suffered heavy casualties. The Navy served with distinction during the Malayan Emergency and also in the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf wars. Australia`s Navy has made a significant contribution to peace operations in the Middle East, Somalia, Cambodia, Bougainville and East Timor.