Lining the pathway behind Government House, next to the Pioneer Women’s Memorial Gardens, a series of plaques honour are placed to commemorate those who served in conflicts. Its official title as the ‘Pathway of Honour’ was dedicated on 24 January 2001 by the Lord Mayor, Mr Alfred Huang and the Federal Member for Adelaide, the Honourable Trish Worth. Ms Worth had put forward this idea to the Adelaide city council as a venue to commemorate South Australian military units.
In an address to Parliament, Ms Worth acknowledged that the recognition of this location was put forward to her by Mr Bill Schmitt, the former Secretary of the 2/3 Machine Gun Battalion Association and the Ex-Prisoners of War Association of South Australia. With its grassy surrounds and neighbouring date palm trees, the pathway was intended to become a “sanctuary among the trees in the heart of our City”. While the pathway already featured 14 memorials upon its dedication, a total of 26 plaques now line this walk.
