#GreatNewsThursday: Violet Town’s Southern Aurora Memorial takes out top gong at Australian Street Art Awards
Strathbogie Shire is now home to national award-winning street art after the Southern Aurora Memorial took out a prize at the National Street Art Awards.
The township’s incredible memorial, recognising the tragic Southern Aurora train crash that took place just after 7am on February 7, 1969, was awarded the Best Monument/Memorial at an online awards ceremony recently.
Strathbogie Shire Council Mayor Cr Laura Binks said Council was incredibly proud of the efforts of all those involved in the Southern Aurora Memorial in Violet Town.
“Not only is it fantastic for Victoria to be recognised, but for our little township to be recognised on a national scale is just incredible,” she said.
“We know a huge amount of hard work and dedication has gone into making the Southern Aurora Memorial what it is – a fantastic area paying tribute to those who lost their lives and those who supported rescue efforts after the tragic train collision in 1969.”
The incident involved the head-on collision between the intercity overnight passenger express Southern Aurora and a goods train. There were nine fatalities and virtually all staff and passengers were injured, although official figures only recorded 117 officially injured.
Staff and passengers from the train, locals from the surrounding area and passers-by put in a massive voluntary effort to fight fires, rescue people, and provide first aid and other support.
The Southern Aurora Memorial project began in 2018 after several discussions between Violet Town locals Gary Abley and Bruce Cumming about the need to better remember the Southern Aurora Disaster in February 1969 and its significant impact on many people, and clearly acknowledge the amazing voluntary efforts at the time.
A call for design ideas, committee members and volunteers generated much momentum.
The resulting overall concept was to hold a 50th anniversary event in 2019, and create a well-designed memorial garden space on a large piece of unused railway land in Cowslip St, Violet Town. The overall theme was Helping Hands.
“The Australian Street Art Awards described it best when they said Violet Town has shown respect and pride to those involved in this horrific tragedy,” Cr Binks said.
“We are so incredibly proud to have such amazing community members who drive projects such as this and all those involved are incredibly deserving of this national gong.”
For more information about the memorial, visit www.facebook.com/southernauroraviolettown or https://www.southernauroraviolettown.com.au/