Melbourne's impressive Shrine of Remembrance has watched over our city since it's completion in 1934. The link below shows a snapshot of what the people of Melbourne saw as it was being constructed. The Shrine was built from the donations collected by an appeal in 1928, in gratitude for the service and sacrifice of the soldiers of the first World War. The appeal was so popular that the money was raised to construct the entire building in less than six months. This was significant in a time of great economic hardship, and showed how deeply the people of Victoria felt the need for a lasting and visually symbolic memorial to the fallen. The choice of site, and the design, of The Shrine caused a great deal of controversy in the years prior to construction. If your family were Victorian in the 1930's then it is likely that your ancestors donated to the construction of the shrine, read the papers, and discussed over the dinner table the design and construction of Melbourne's greatest monument.
Photograph of construction
http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/melbourne/NorthMelbourne/18952.html
The Official Shrine of Remembrance site
http://www.shrine.org.au/content.asp?Document_ID=1
