New exhibition takes a local look at war

Noosa Library Service reveals Noosa’s wartime experience in a new exhibition to open next month.

“While the politics of war, military strategy and battlefield horrors are well documented, lesser known is what life was like for those at home,” says Heritage Librarian Jane Harding.

Ms Harding, Noosa’s War Front curator Joe Hextall and a team of volunteers have spent eight months delving into Council minute books and old newspapers, interviewing locals about their World War I ancestors, gathering memorabilia and reviewing World War I service dossiers to create a snapshot of war-time Noosa.

“From this research, a story has emerged of a place every bit as passionate and devoted to a cause as it is today,” says Ms Harding.

“What we have discovered is that those left at home were involved in a constant round of farewell and welcome home functions for local men, tireless fundraising and patriotic efforts, and numerous endeavours to commemorate and remember the contribution of local servicemen,” says Ms Harding.

Over the course of the war years, Noosa raised in excess of £27,500 and hosted at least 250 events.  Almost one-fifth of Noosa Shire’s then-2200 residents enlisted for service abroad. More than 90 of these men did not return. 

The exhibition will feature information and photographs as well as treasured memorabilia from local residents’ private collections and the Noosa Museum.

Additional stories and images will be exhibited online as part of State Library of Queensland’s Q ANZAC 100: Memories for a New Generation Historypin project.

Noosa Library Service will launch the exhibition at Noosaville Library on Wednesday 11 November 2015 at 6:30pm. It will also include a screening of State Library of Queensland’s Q ANZAC 100: Memories for a New Generation projection. RSVP to (07) 5329 6555.

The exhibition will be on display from 11 – 28 November, 2015 and will tour to Cooroy Library in 2016. The exhibition will also be available for loan by local groups and organisations to display in their premises during the WWI commemoration period.

Noosa’s War Front and Noosa’s War Front Pinned are proudly supported by the Queensland Government through the Anzac Centenary Grants program and State Library of Queensland’s Q ANZAC 100 Memories for a New Generation program.

12 October 2015