The State War Memorial, situated in Kings Park, overlooks the City of Perth with beautiful views of the Swan & Canning Rivers & the Darling Ranges.
The memorial was developed around an obelisk as the principal feature, which is almost a replica of the Australian Imperial Force Memorials erected in France & Belgium. The heavy concrete foundations are supplemented by heavy brick walls which enclose an inner chamber or crypt on whose walls are recorded the names of men & women from WA who were killed in action during WWI and all subsequent conflicts. Construction was started in 1928 and completed on 24 November 1929, when it was unveiled by the State Governor and committed to the custody & care of the WA Branch of the League. At each State Congress, the Branch elects a Warden to guard this trust for a l2 month period & this appointment is rotated annually between a distinguished civilian & an ex-serviceman or woman. Ex-service appointments are also rotated & attend every wreath-laying ceremony and, for many years. the members of the Highgate Sub-Branch have provided this service as well as maintaining over 1,100 plaques for the memorial trees in the Honour Avenues and special memorials throughout the Park are dedicated to those who died during service to Australia.
