The rising sun

Back in April 2018, the Gilgandra Shire Council, with the dictation of the community and approval from the Army Brand manager, purchased the rising sun structure for $8000.

The council then placed the structure in storage for a period of 12 months, under the care of the Men’s Shed, where they continued to restore the structure.

Council in November 2018 nominated the memorial precinct as the preferred location of the structure. Fast forward to June 2020, Charles Sturt University engineering students undertook the structure as a project. Here, the second-year students created a feasible structural design for the installation of the emblem, including installation of lighting, protection from the elements and the location.

As part of the project, students undertook a cost benefit analysis, with consideration of labour, materials, and protection. Their final cost estimate to install the rising sun was $5750.75, however council ruled this estimate as not true, and budgeted $30,000 instead. This is due to the ongoing maintenance costs, expected to be higher than the students estimate of $538 every two - three years, with it more likely to be around $1000 per annum when including indirect maintenance costs such as cleaning and electricity.

The funding of the project is through the community hub and activation element of the Stronger Country Communities fun round three.