It is eighty years since 31 people were killed in an plane crash at Canal Creek out from The Caves township but the people of the region haven’t forgotten – though they knew little of the accident at the time due to wartime censorship.
The Livingstone Council will hold a Memorial Service to commemorate the crash at the Canal Creek War Memorial Tuesday 19 December 2023 8.30am – 9.30am
The service is in memory of the 31 United States and Australian Armed Services and support personnel who died at the site on 19 December 1943 in the crash of a Douglas C-47 Aircraft. Travel north on the Bruce Highway, turn into The Caves township, turn left onto Rossmoya Road (in front of The Caves Hotel), follow the bitumen road 25.7km to the intersection of Werribee Road and Canal Creek Road. Turn left onto Canal Creek Road (gravel road) and follow 1.3km to the site. Please look for the signs.
The Canal Creek War Memorial was constructed in 2012 and dedicated on Saturday 16 June 2012.
The Memorial was a project driven by the local Capricorn Coast Business Community Group, and jointly funded by Rockhampton Regional Council the federal Department of Veteran Affairs and the Queensland Government through the Community Memorials Restoration Program.
The Memorial is located on Forestry Plantations Queensland land, and will provide a lasting marker of the site and preserve its history into the future.
The memorial is a basic building containing a sandstone plinth bronze plaque, photographs and an honour roll to commemorate the twenty United States Armed Forces personnel, eight Australian Defence Force personnel, Australian war photographer, representative from the YMCA and adjutant from the Salvation Army who were onboard.
