The Anzac Memorial was opened in 1934 thanks to funds raised by the people of New South Wales. It is both a work of art and a remarkable piece of architecture but most importantly a permanent edifice and tribute to the memory of all the members of the Australian Imperial Forces (as they were then known) who lost their lives, either directly or indirectly as a result of the Great War.
The artist was George Rayner Hoff, an English sculptor who had migrated to Sydney in the 1920s. Rayner Hoff had served in the Royal Engineers as a map maker in France during the Great War and in Germany with the army of occupation. His collaboration with the Australian architect Charles Bruce Dellit on the Anzac Memorial is seamless. Thanks to their work the Memorial is now one of the finest surviving examples of art deco style in Australia.
The Anzac Memorial is administered by a Board of Trustees appointed under the Anzac Memorial (Building) Act 1923. The Trustees are responsible for the management, maintenance and preservation of the Anzac Memorial as New South Wales’ principal war memorial.
The Trustees' vision is "To promote, maintain and enhance the Anzac Memorial as the State's principal commemorative and interpretive monument dedicated to the service and sacrifice of Australians in peace and war.
The Trustees' mission is " To maximise the Anzac Memorial's potential as a space for the veteran community, inform all visitors and to educate future generations."
The Anzac Memorial is multiple things to multiple people, it is both a work of art, a space for contemplation and a space for the use rest and recreation of veterans. To this end the Memorial continues to host a myriad of public programs including exhibitions, talks and education programs.
