Oxley War Memorial

The soldier statue in Oxley is unmistakeably Australian, with his slouch hat and 'rising sun' hat badge, face slightly downturned as he stands facing west. This statue, created by Ipswich monumental mason Frank Williams from Ipswich, and unveiled in 1920, found its final resting place in the 1980s, moved to make way for roadworks from its original siting on the major Brisbane southside arterial, Ipswich Road. The soldier statue was a quaintly Queensland favourite style of WWI memorial, exhibiting common traits of the volunteer soldiers: youth, innocence, loyalty and courage among them. Oxley's monument bears a marble plaque specifically naming the district's 15 dead, among the 60,000 mostly young Australian men to be buried where they fell in Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa and a valuable record of local involvement. Frank Williams created many around southern Queensland, including in Esk and Boonah. He also produced the evocative Weeping Mother Memorial at Gatton. Small marble plaques commemorating involvement in subsequent international conflicts have been added. Oxley Memorial Park draws crowds for solemn remembrance on 25 April every year.