Gisborne Cenotaph restoration finished well ahead of Anzac Day

The scaffolding has come down at the Gisborne Cenotaph after contractors completed a restoration project. Photo / Murray Robertson

The second phase of preservation work on the Gisborne Cenotaph has been successfully completed ahead of Anzac Day.

Scaffolding has come down and only the fence around The Esplanade monument remained in place on Friday, pending final site inspections of the work.

The sum of $90,000 was budgeted for the second phase of restoration work that involved specialist materials and techniques.

“The work was completed by local specialist contractors... who worked closely with heritage conservation experts to ensure all interventions met Heritage New Zealand guidelines,” Gisborne District Council said.

“All materials used were specifically selected to be compatible with the monument’s original Carrara marble.”

Kerry Hudson, council acting director liveable communities, previously said the work “addressed critical repairs to prevent further deterioration, ensuring the monument’s longevity and maintaining its historical and cultural significance”.

The work included:

• Critical structural repairs, including specialised work on the soldier’s shoulder crack.
• Conservation-grade cleaning of key areas.
• Repointing of all marble joints using heritage-appropriate lime mortar.
• Implementing an improved water management systems to prevent future deterioration.
• Restoration of the memorial plaques, which were carefully removed, cleaned and refinished to preserve the names.

Work has been done on the inscriptions and decorative elements of the monument, including the plaques showing the names of the region's fallen across various conflicts. Photo / Murray Robertson

The project was completed on March 13, two days ahead of schedule, allowing the Cenotaph to be fully accessible well before Anzac Day commemorations.

“This restoration represents the first phase of the council’s broader Memorial Monuments Restoration Programme, which will see similar conservation work undertaken on other significant monuments in our region over the coming years,” the council said.

The protective fencing will be removed on April 21.