Anzac Square

Anzac Square is a heritage-listed square and an important war memorial in the heart of Brisbane, Queensland. Located between Ann Street and Adelaide Street, opposite Post Office Square, it honors the men and women who served in the armed forces overseas. Named after the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the square opened on Armistice Day in 1930 and has served as a central place of remembrance ever since. Originally conceived as a memorial to World War I, Anzac Square has evolved over time into a comprehensive memorial to all the conflicts in which Queensland took part. These include the Second Boer War, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and operations in Borneo and New Guinea. Since 2022, a new bronze relief has also paid tribute to the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The architectural centerpiece is the Shrine of Remembrance, a circular colonnade of Helidon sandstone set on a tiered base of Queensland granite. Eighteen Doric columns support an entablature decorated with rosettes on the outside and inscribed with the names of battlefields on the inside. At the center of the round interior, the Eternal Flame of Remembrance burns in a bronze urn. Three pathways, symbolizing the three branches of the armed forces, lead up from Adelaide Street to the elevated memorial. Along these paths stand palms, Bribie Island pines, and bottle trees, each with its own specific historical associations. Beneath the main structure are extensive crypts and memorial spaces, which are managed by the State Library of Queensland. They house interactive digital exhibits, mosaics, and reliefs, including the Women's War Memorial by Daphne Mayo, which commemorates the women of Queensland.

The square is not only a place of quiet reflection but also the site of annual ceremonies, especially on Anzac Day, when a Dawn Service is held. The surroundings are framed by government buildings in the classical style, opening up views of the General Post Office and Central Station. Following a comprehensive restoration between 2014 and 2016, which included structural repairs and the modernization of the memorial spaces, Anzac Square today presents itself as a harmonious ensemble of green spaces, water features, and stone architecture. It remains an important place of collective memory and remembrance in the city of Brisbane.