The Sphinx Memorial in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, North Turramurra, is a one-of-a-kind tribute to those who served and fell in the First World War.
The Sphinx was created by Private William Thomas Shirley, a returned veteran who served with the 13th Battalion from 1916 to 1917.
Upon returning to NSW, Shirley was a patient at the nearby Lady Davidson Convalescent Hospital, where he was being treated for tuberculosis and the effects of being gassed on the Western Front.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald (6 June 1924), hospital staff suggested Shirley use his expert stonemasonary skills to recreate the mysterious monument so many veterans had seen while in Egypt. It was reported that despite his ill health, he was eager to take up the task. He is quoted in the article as saying:
I have just been filling in my spare time ... I did not know that anybody outside the hospital knew what I was doing. One has to do something, though, and this work appeals to me.
Working only a few hours a day, Shirley spent around one and a half years sculpting his 12-foot-high masterpiece out of the surrounding sandstone. It is approximately 1/8th the size of the original. He was assisted by some of his fellow patients, who were also veterans, with clearing the area and building the two pyramids that flank the Sphinx.
Sadly, the monument was not unveiled until almost two years after Shirley's death, on 27 August 1929. The ceremony took place on 3 May 1931 in front of a large crowd. Governor Sir Philip Game called the Sphinx a "truly remarkable war memorial." His speech was covered in the Herald the following day. The Governor hoped:
The memorial would serve as a triple reminder of the fallen, of the best ideals of the soldiers and sailors who had so valiantly fought, and of the obligation to do all possible to bring about and maintain the ideals for which they suffered.
The Sphinx is an enduring landmark in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and has been well cared for over the years, with landscaping, interpretative signage, and restoration works. It was rededicated on 9 November 1995.
Visitors can access this unique war memorial via the gates on Memorial Road or the Sphinx Memorial to Bobbin Head loop walking track. Also on site is the HMAS Adelaide Mast Memorial.
Search the NSW War Memorials Register today to discover war memorials in your area.
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Image caption: Sphinx Memorial. Photograph provided by Ku-ring-gai Council, 2022.