Just in time for Remembrance Day, the heritage-listed Lone Pine War Memorial in Leura is to benefit from an $11,000 conservation grant.
Blue Mountains City Council is one of 27 recipients across the state to receive a grant from the NSW Government’s 2025 Community War Memorials Fund.
Minister for Veterans David Harris today announced $245,000 of NSW Government funding for the care and upkeep of 27 war memorials across the state within 25 local government areas.
Forty-six applications were received in this round, which closed on June 25, 2025.
Member for Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, MP, congratulated the council for receiving the funding for physical works to assist with the conservation, ensuring the memorial is protected for the community.
“I would like to acknowledge Council for their commitment to the veterans of the Blue Mountains. Our community continues to be grateful for the sacrifices made by current serving members and past servicemen and servicewomen and their families,” Ms Doyle said.
“This grant funding will help to ensure that our war memorials continue to stand proud in our community as a reminder of the contributions made to our nation and its military history.”
Lone Pine is a significant First World War memorial. This project will conserve Leura’s Lone Pine War Memorial Gates through careful, non-invasive cleaning, lime-based crack repairs and repointing and re-painting of faded inscriptions with heritage-appropriate materials. The work will conserve the memorial using best-practice techniques.
Dedicated on May 25, 1921, the Lone Pine Memorial Gates are part of the Lone Pine Avenue and Park which is a local heritage item on the Blue Mountains Local Environment Plan. It honours the 14 Leura men who did not return from the Great War.
In an application for the funding, Council said the memorial gates required “urgent conservation” and there were issues with faded inscriptions and “legibility of the memorial”.
“The sandstone pillars show signs of damage from passing vehicles, biological staining, graffiti remnants, and past structural movement, with visible cracks and open mortar joints,” the application states.
The conservation work is scheduled to take place in August/September 2026.
Minister Harris said: “Local communities across the state are rightly proud of their military history and the vital threads their war memorials weave into our cultural fabric, enabling us to reflect on over 100 years of our veterans’ service and sacrifice.
“It is wonderful to announce this funding, which will be used to undertake important conservation work so our war memorials can continue to honour our veterans who have served our community,” he said.
Applications for the 2026 Community War Memorials Fund will open in April 2026.
The grants are awarded to councils, RSL sub-branches and community groups in cities, regional towns and rural centres.
“I encourage any community group or ex-service organisation in our electorate to review the condition of our war memorials and to apply for funding for any conservation work that is needed,” Ms Doyle added.
Details at https://www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/heritage/community-war-memorials-fund/
MEDIA: Matt Porter | Minister Harris | 0407 239 578
MEDIA: Trish Doyle MP | Brenda Cunningham-Lewis | 02 4751 3298
