A new memorial in the Soldiers’ Memorial Park in Numurkah was unveiled on March 26 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Murray Valley Soldier Settlement Scheme.
It was the largest such scheme in Australia, stretching from Yarroweyah to beyond Nathalia and from Strathmerton to Numurkah.
It included 519 irrigated dairy or fruit growing farms and covered 25,500 hectares.
The first settlers moved on to their farms in 1947.
The memorial project was developed by Numurkah Rotary, Numurkah RSL and Numurkah Historical Society.
Memorial Committee member John Watson, the son of a soldier settler, said none of the original male settlers were living, but the event was attended by three soldier settler widows, Hazel Boase, Margaret Larkin and Betty Garner, who unveiled the memorial.
“It was fantastic, we had a lovely weekend and there were plenty of old friendships rekindled,” Mr Watson said.
Mr Watson said the scheme transformed the whole region, as it coincided with the arrival of a major irrigation scheme supplied from the Yarrawonga Weir.
“What we intended was to identify all the soldier settlers who had come on to those farms, there were 569 settlers and 519 farms, so some didn’t stay on the land, in those days there was very little recognition of post-traumatic stress,” he said.
“There are many families still in the area who are still running those farms.”
The majority of settlers were sent to Dookie College to do a course as part of the post-World War II scheme.
More than 300 people attended the opening.
“We certainly filled the park up,” Mr Watson said.
The Numurkah Historical Society has added a permanent exhibition on soldier settlement to complement the memorial.