Anzac Parade, which a century ago was renamed and dedicated to the memory of World War I soldiers, will be bookended by memorials at its northern and southern ends under a plan adopted by Randwick council.
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A long-forgotten vision to complement the Anzac Parade Memorial Obelisk near Moore Park Road with a memorial at the road's southern end at La Perouse is being revived by the council, following representations made by the daughter of an Anzac soldier, Margaret Hope.
The stone obelisk at the head of Moore Park was dismantled three years ago to make way for the Albert "Tibby Cotter" bridge. The obelisk, erected on March 15, 1917, has since been moved to new spot closer to Moore Park Road.
Ms Hope, whose father Robert (Bob) William Hope enlisted in 1916, said she did "not think it was right" that the obelisk had been moved.
"We owe it to those people not to put it out of sight in the park," Ms Hope, 77, said.
But a separate memorial is now likely to be built to help solidify the commemorative function of Anzac Parade, which was renamed from Randwick Road 100 years ago. When the obelisk at the northern end of Anzac Parade was first opened, in 1917, then Sydney lord mayor Richard Meagher said there would "be a continuous thoroughfare" from Moore Park to the "La Perouse monument".
That monument was not built. However following the advocacy of Ms Hope, who has set up a website, Daughters of Anzac, to help trace the history of Anzac Parade, Randwick council said it would create a trust including the RSL Sub-Branch, La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council, UNSW and Randwick Barracks to work on plans for a La Perouse structure.
Randwick councillor Tony Bowen has worked with Ms Hope on the issue.
"The Randwick LGA had a very significant role in World War I," said Cr Bowen.
"The current site of UNSW was a camp, and there was also the rifle range, which is now Randwick Barracks. And of course there were encampments in the area," said Cr Bowen.
"I think it's a great opportunity to link the society of 100 years ago to our society, with some sort of monument or recognition at the La Perouse end," Cr Bowen said.
Ms Hope said she did not have firm views on what should be built at La Perouse, though the local Indigenous community needed to be consulted.
"We don't need another obelisk necessarily, we've got a lot of those," she said. "What I want is some place where we can remember what went on, we learn about it, and we acknowledge the contribution of Indigenous soldiers."
