North Stradbroke Island is synonymous with good times and peacefulness. Its residents also felt the heartache that WWI handed mainland Australia.
An Honour Board to those who served in WWI, funded by Thomas Welsby was installed in the Dunwich Hall.
The Dunwich Benevolent Asylum provided accommodation for some returned servicemen at the end of the war.
Dunwich was much more populated during WWII and many more were able to participate in this war. A white painted cairn was unveiled by Premier Frank Nicklin on 11 March 1967, as a tribute to Stradbroke locals who had enlisted in all conflicts including WWI.
Tellingly, the Aboriginal flag flies alongside the Australian flag at remembrance services. Even though Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were not considered 'Australian' back in 1914, many enlisted, about 500 nationally according to the Department of Veterans' Affairs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were not recognised as citizens of Australia until 1967.
The plinth remembers later conflicts too: WWII, Malaya, Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Stradbroke's most famous poet (and activist) Oodgeroo Noonuccal, known also as Kath Walker, served as a telephonist in the armed forces in WWII.
