Eternal flame to glow at Cotton Tree Park

An eternal flame which will be a permanent fixture of the Cotton Tree Park cenotaph will be officially unveiled next month to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I.

Council has partnered with the Maroochy RSL to deliver the memorial which will be the first of its type on the Sunshine Coast.

It will be officially dedicated on Saturday, November 10, the day prior to Remembrance Day.

Mayor Mark Jamieson today joined RSL representatives and Member for Fairfax Ted O'Brien to view the progress of construction which is being undertaken by council crews.

"This eternal flame will mark the 100th anniversary of when the guns fell silent on the Western Front and the signing of the Armistice at 11.00am on 11 November 1918," Mayor Jamieson said.

"World War I was labelled as the war to end all wars – but unfortunately, this was not to be."

Maroochy RSL president Michael Liddelow said the memorial will be unique because it does not use gas to generate the flame, but instead has a sophisticated LED lighting system to generate the effect of an eternal flame.

“Every eternal flame memorial is very special. An eternal flame at a war memorial represents remembrance of the service and sacrifice of all those who have given their lives in war,” he said.

"The flame is considered a symbol of perpetuity and a beacon of light to commemorate our fallen, so it represents hope for the future as well as recognition of those lost.

“The Maroochy RSL memorial services held at the cenotaph are often the largest in the Sunshine Coast region and we expect this monument to attract many people to Cotton Tree at times of remembrance and year round."