Council completes fresh updates at Jeffries Park

Published on 11 October 2024

Rockhampton Regional Council will unveil the upgrades at Jeffries Park, home to the Rats of Tobruk Memorial, at a special rededication ceremony.

Council recently completed upgrades at the park with Mayor Tony Williams praising the finished product which included special details to honour the Rats of Tobruk.

“This park holds a special place in the hearts of the Rockhampton community as it is where we hold our annual Anzac Day ceremonies,” Mayor Williams said.

“It pays tribute to the Rats of Tobruk, with crushed granite around the base of the memorial to represent the desert conditions the men fought in.

“The Rockhampton memorial is a replica of the one built by the 9th Division in Tobruk.

“It is important to preserve our memorials within our Region as they honour our soldiers, which is why Council invested $250,000 into upgrades at Jeffries Park.

“The upgrades included adding disability access as well as new concrete pathways, irrigation, gardens, lighting and seating.”

The memorial was first completed in April 1997 with the original construction funded by the Rats of Tobruk committee through the support of the community and Council.

Rats of Tobruk Association secretary Georgena Diplock expressed her appreciation for the hard work Council had done to complete the upgrades at Jeffries Park, allowing Anzac Day ceremonies to return to the site.

“It looks lovely, and they’ve done a really great job,” Ms Diplock said.

“The Association is really pleased, and we thank Council for the upgrades.”