THE legacies of Sir Donald Bradman and Edward “Weary” Dunlop are alive and thriving in Beechworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The personal stories, mementos and trophies belonging to some of Australia’s most prolific sports and war heroes are on display in the All Together: Sport and War exhibition at the Beechworth Burke Memorial Museum.
Opening today, the travelling exhibition from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra highlights how Australian wartime experiences are reflected in modern sporting events.
The display features rare, 100-year-old trophies and sports medals carved by prisoners of war in Changi and Bavaria as well as precious artefacts and captivating visual displays.
Beechworth Burke Memorial Museum manager Anna Robbins said more than 2000 people were expected to visit the exhibition.
“It really shows us how sport and war has shaped what it means to be Australian,” she said.
“Despite the tragedy of war, sport has provided our servicemen and women with an antidote to tension and boredom.”
Highlights of the collection include an antique tug-o-war trophy won by Australians in London in 1918, an audio-visual presentation and rare salvaged photographs of sporting matches held in prisons and on battlefields.
The exhibition is being held at the Beechworth Burke Memorial Museum until August 30.
