Community grants to commemorate Anzac

The sacrifice made by Queenslanders from all over the state in the First World War will be remembered and preserved thanks to $1.5 million in Queensland Government grants.

Minister Assisting the Premier on the commemoration of the Anzac Centenary Glen Elmes said 57 projects had been funded in the first round of the $13.5 million Anzac Centenary Community Grants program.

“The Anzac Centenary grants program is an important commemorative initiative to assist communities in a time of reflection, honour and remembrance between 2014-2018,” Mr Elmes said.

“Families all over Queensland contributed their labour and the lives of their young children to support Australia’s involvement in the First World War.

“I encourage communities to use the grants program to tell personal stories that engage and educate future generations on the efforts and sacrifice of service men and women in a significant period of our nation’s history.

“The grants assist individual Queensland communities to commemorate the Anzac Centenary in ways that are relevant to them.

“For some, it might be the contribution made by a group of young local men who signed up together, for others it might be the involvement of a community in providing supplies or material to support the war effort and for others it could be that their community was the location for some military activity.

“The Queensland Government is providing funding of up to $80,000 each for local events, projects and re-enactments to commemorate 100 years since Australia’s involvement in the First World War.”

Mr Elmes said that assessment of the applications was undertaken by an expert panel of community leaders specialising in the military, Australian arts, heritage and events.

He said that applications for round two funding will open soon, giving community groups another opportunity to seek funding in advance of the 100^th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 2015.

Further rounds of grants will also occur throughout the 2014-18 centenary period. Information about eligibility and application guidelines can be found at: www.qld.gov.au/anzac100.

[ENDS] 13 June 2014

Media Contact: Peter McCarthy 0408 835 548