The multiple-award winning Migrant Monument is a tribute to the heritage of all South Australians, and will be for generations to come.

The Design

A competition was held to select a design for the Monument and architects Giordano & Associates in Tranmere were announced the winners in February 2000 by then Premier of South Australia John Olsen.

The 20 metre high Migrant Monument features a circular compass base, which represents the world and its four main axes - north, south, east and west - symbolic of our State’s migrants who come from the four corners of the globe. The four parts become one as they harmoniously spiral upwards to a crystal-like spiral of glass and steel, representing the common spirit that binds us all.

The wing walls of the Monument intertwine each other as a metaphor of the diverse and rich cultural make up of our State. The Monument’s scale and height make it an ideal landmark, visible from all approaches, especially at night when it is dramatically illuminated by the carefully angled internal and external lights.

The granite walls symbolise the many different regions from which migrants originated. Their tapering upward signifies the progress made of time as individuals and as a community.

The Monument is set on a grassed mound to give it prominence over the busy intersection and to provide a focal point.

Awards

The Monument was recognised with a Special Award of Excellence in tiling at the prestigious Building Trades Awards of Excellence in May 2002.

International Ceramic Tiles of Glynde won the Award in recognition of superior quality and workmanship in their area of expertise.

The judging criteria included quality, workmanship, attention to detail, scope of work, technical detail, and professionalism and performance in the workplace. In presenting the award, the judges commented that this was a ‘special and startling Monument, faced in granite, designed to last’.

In November 2002, the Civic Trust Awards recognised the Monument with a Commendation in the category of ‘Contribution to Civic Awareness’.

In judging the Awards, the Jury predicted the Monument would be a landmark building and described it as ‘a striking tribute to the people who settled in Campbelltown from different parts of the world’.

‘Like the process of migration, the passage of time will bring about acceptance and hopefully provide an impetus for improvement to the urban fabric that surrounds it’, commented the Jury.

‘Those migrants who contributed so much to our Australian way of life deserve such a building. The City of Campbelltown should be congratulated for being brave enough to select the drawings that produced this striking structure’.

The Civic Trust Awards aim to encourage quality in architecture focusing on changes that improve the urban fabric, lift the spirit and add richness and interest to our environment.

Funding the Monument

The Monument’s construction celebrated Australia’s Centenary of Federation and received a Centenary of Federation Grant of $45,000. The State Government contributed $100,000, and neighbouring Council Norwood, Payneham and St Peters donated $15,000. The City of Campbelltown donated the land and in-kind administration support for the project.

A number of individuals and businesses also contributed money and in-kind support for building the Monument. Contributions of over $500 to the project were entitled to a space on the Monument for family or business names to be engraved in recognition of their support, recorded for posterity. To view a list of these contributors, visit the Donors page.

The Grand Opening

The Premier of South Australia, the Honourable Mike Rann, officially opened the Migrant Monument Museum on Sunday 27 April 2003.