From vision to legacy: Cornish College creates lasting memorial
Students, teachers and invited guests at the Anzac Day Assembly of Cornish College
Students, teachers and invited guests at the Anzac Day Assembly of Cornish College

As a young school without the longstanding military connections of more established institutions, Cornish College faced a unique challenge. ‘We didn’t have a designated “place” where the service and sacrifice of defence personnel could be commemorated,’ explains Dennis Freeman, Director of Community Relations. 

The solution came through 2 DVA Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants that have helped the College create a spectacular memorial garden set within its 100 acres of natural parkland. 

The first grant in early 2022 enabled the College to design, manufacture and install 3 memorial panels as the garden’s centrepiece. A second grant in early 2024 completed the vision with flagpoles and landscaping. 

‘Without the Saluting Their Service grant, this memorial garden would not have been created,’ Dennis acknowledges. 

The impact has been profound. What began as a commemorative project for the college’s 10th anniversary has become a living, breathing part of daily school life. Students don’t just visit for special occasions but walk through regularly, making remembrance part of their everyday experience. 

Year 8 student Risha (left) and Year 10 student Rijul at the Anzac Day Assembly
Year 8 student Risha (left) and Year 10 student Rijul at the Anzac Day Assembly

‘Having a special place to acknowledge Anzac Day and Remembrance Day has strongly influenced the way members of the College community approach these events,’ Dennis notes. ‘Each year, you can sense that our students do so with increasing respect, reverence and understanding.’ 

The garden’s influence extends beyond the school gates, strengthening ties with Longbeach RSL and welcoming current and former service personnel to special events. Dennis notes the response has been wonderful: ‘Those who visit often remark on how beautiful and appropriate the garden is, set in a special part of our natural parkland.’ 

At this year’s Anzac Day Assembly, student choristers performed both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems, with the first verse sung in Māori, creating a particularly moving moment that reinforced the true spirit of Anzac. 

Cornish College’s success represents just one story among many from the 2024–25 Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program. Across 3 funding batches, 168 organisations nation-wide shared more than $2.5 million. These diverse projects, from memorial refurbishments to educational podcasts, are all united in preserving Australia’s military heritage and ensuring veterans’ stories continue to resonate with future generations. 

‘Our hope is that our students now understand more about the sacrifice of war,’ Dennis reflects, ‘and that the garden will provide the College and local community with a substantial historical place that will inform and educate for many years to come.’ 

The 2025–2026 Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program is open for applications. To find out more, visit GrantConnnect at www.grants.gov.au.