Tuesday 28 March 2017

Peace Cake provides new layer of military history on the Fraser Coast

The Queensland town of Maryborough is bringing back an important slice of history to add to their impressive list of military attractions.

The re-creation of a 1.5 metre “Peace Cake” will be joining the already established Duncan Chapman memorial, Cenotaph and Military Museum in Maryborough, plus Hervey Bay’s Light Horse statue and the coming HMAS Tobruk artificial dive reef.

Once completed, the new Peace Cake will take a permanent place in the Maryborough Town Hall as the latest in a string of works by the Maryborough Mural Project, a community group dedicated to revitalizing the heritage city’s CBD through art, murals and installations.

Maryborough Mural Project (MMP) co-founder Elizabeth Lowrie said the intricate, multi-tiered cake would be made to the same specifications of the original, standing approximately 150cm tall, 61cm wide and weighing around 50kg.

"The cake is being recreated in permanent materials by two local artists, Elizabeth Hersey and Marnie Koster. Cake decorators from the wider community were invited to particaipate in two workshops to assist," Ms Lowrie said.

“When completed the Peace Cake will be permanently installed where it once took pride of place in the Maryborough Town Hall, serving as a permanent symbolic reminder to all that view it, that world peace is important and that many continue to sacrifice their lives for it.”

Fellow MMP co-founder Deb Hannam said the Peace Cake was not only important to the region’s military history but was of national significance as well.

“It’s a part of Australia’s military history and we will be excitedly watching the cake take shape over the next few months,’’ she said.
Consisting of four tiers separated by silver stands, the cake installation will feature an Angel of Peace, white doves, roses, leaves and shamrocks plus miniature battleships, weapons, light horsemen, figures symbolic with the British and Australian crests and more.

It will be unveiled at a Gala Ball at the Maryborough RSL on Saturday April 29, 2017, which aims to replicate some of the spirit of original Mayoral Victory Ball in April 1919 where the first Peace Cake debuted.

The MMP has completed a further seven projects in Maryborough including the St Mary of the Cross Mackillop mural, Ladies of the Exchange mural, Legends of Moonie Jarl stories, Adding Hope to the Journey mural, Milking Time mural, Courageous Care mural and Battle of Long Tan mural.

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