Ross Smith Memorial Upgrade Concept
Consultation has concluded
The Northern Territory Government is seeking key stakeholder and community feedback on the proposed upgrade of the heritage listed Ross Smith Memorial located in Fannie Bay, Darwin.
Feedback will inform the design of the upgrade and keep the stakeholders and the community abreast of activities occurring on site between now and the centenary of the first aerial flight from England to Australia in 1919.
Key upgrade drivers
- The existing fabric of the surrounds is not original to the memorial and we therefore would recommend the replacement of these with a new setting that reflects the landmark status of the memorial within the Ross Smith Park.
- The new surrounds should be designed in a manner that are in keeping with the materials and design of the memorial and should complement, not compete with the design of the memorial structure itself.
- Design of the setting should also consider the existing problems with drainage and intrusive tree root systems around the memorial and seek to address any potential issues.
How you can have your say
Online
Complete the short survey below.
What will happen when feedback has been collected
All responses will be kept strictly confidential and individual responses will not be identified or singled out.
All comments and information received will be collated and a report prepared for Government consideration.
Closing date for feedback is 22 June 2017.
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History of the Ross Smith Memorial
The Ross Smith Memorial was unveiled on Sunday 20 May 1923 to commemorate the achievement of Captain Ross Smith, Lieutenant Keith Smith and mechanics Sergeants Wally Shiers and Jim Bennett, who in 1919 manned the first aerial flight from England to Australia in less than thirty days.
The location of the memorial marks an area in close proximity to the end of the runway at Parap airfield, where the plane would have touched down onto Australian soil.
The Ross Smith Memorial is constructed in bluestone in the form of a square obelisk which sits atop a smooth faced pedestal and a rock-faced stepped base. It is approximately 3.5m in height with a base footprint of approximately 1.8m square.
The memorial sits in an open park setting which has mature plantings that partly obscure it from the adjacent road. Although it also sits in close proximity to Fannie Bay itself, its view to the water is masked by thick vegetation which grows along the shoreline.
While the Ross Smith Memorial structure is generally in a good sound condition with no evidence of movement or subsidence underneath the structure, the surrounds of the memorial are in poor condition with movement in the low brick walls causing a loss of structural integrity in more than one area. The pebble-crete slab is generally stable with minor cracks, but losses are occurring at the edges due to poor drainage.
