This consultation is now complete.

We were asking for your help to decide on a home for a rare, restored WW1 field gun.

This historic field gun was originally gifted to the City of Collingwood and displayed in the Darling Gardens for more than 90 years.

The Richmond RSL and other local community groups are working on restoring the field gun.

The field gun’s history

This World War 1 Krupp Howitzer (150mm) field gun was originally a piece of German Artillery. Australian troops captured it from the German Imperial Army on the Hindenburg Line in France in 1918. It was installed in Clifton Hill’s Darling Gardens in 1922, after it was gifted to the City of Collingwood by the Commonwealth Trophies Committees.

This gun was one of the 33 captured weapons initially allocated to Victoria post Armistice and made available to local communities.

This particular field gun was the largest of this allocation, and was gifted to Collingwood in recognition of the significant number of local population who served in the war.

The field gun remained in the Darling Gardens until 2013, when it was removed due to its dilapidated state.

Project update

Thanks so much to everyone who provided their considered responses to this consultation.

The historic WW1 field gun is now set to be restored and displayed in Richmond’s Barkly Gardens, more than 100 years after the WW1 Armistice.

This decision comes following consultation with local residents, park users and the RSL community about the future of the gun, and whether it should be located in Barkly Gardens, Darling Gardens or gifted to a museum or institution.

After considering community feedback, Council have decided to install the gun at Barkly Gardens.

In total 484 individuals visited this project page and we received 257 survey responses (including the Facebook responses and direct emails).

Consultation results

  • Barkly Gardens – 132
  • Darling Gardens – 68
  • Gift Externally – 50
  • (7 skipped the question)

Consultation promotion included:

  • Social media promotion (reach over 5 400)
  • Direct mail to over 2500 local households
  • 2 in person opportunities at the local parks
  • Direct email
  • Meetings with local historical and RSL groups

Council resolution

You can read the full council resolution from 4 December 2018 below:

Council determines for the WW1 Field Gun to be reinstated in Barkly Gardens after restoration;

(b) appropriate landscape design be developed to ensure the Field Gun is displayed in the most sympathetic and safe setting;

(c) interpretive signage be installed alongside the Field Gun to explain its history and provenance;

(d) prior to installation, community information is developed and distributed to explain the history and provenance of the Field Gun, and to explain the rationale for returning this memorial to public display;

(e) Council thanks and acknowledge RSL members who have contributed to its current restoration; and

(f) ongoing maintenance requirements of the Field Gun to be noted and referred to future budget considerations.