The mast was dedicated as a memorial to World War Two soldiers, sailors, and airmen who died as a result of tuberculosis, a condition treated by the nearby Lady Davidson Repatriation Hospital.

A dedicatory plaque and a plaque explaining the role played by H.M.A.S. Adelaide accompany the mast. To commemorate the end of the Second World war as part of the "Australia Remembers" year, the mast was restored and on 9 November 1995, rededicated at an official ceremony.

This mast of H.M.A.S. Adelaide was dedicated by Rear-Admiral G. D. Moore C.B.E. R.A.N.. as a memorial to the T.B Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen of the 1939 - 1945 War who died as a result of their disability. April 23rd 1950



HMAS ADELAIDE - MAINMAST

'The IMPROVED TOWN Class light cruiser HMAS ADELAIDE was commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 5th August 1922. Built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, HMAS ADELAIDE was active with the Australian Fleet until paid off into reserve in 1928. During the ship's first commission, HMAS ADELAIDE participated in the 1924/25 world cruise as part of the Royal Navy's Special Service Squadron and in 1927 proceeded to the Solomon Islands on a peacekeeping cruise.

During 1938/39 the cruiser was modernised to meet the threat from more capable aircraft and recommissioned for service on 13 March 1939.

In the Second World War, HMAS ADELAIDE operated along the Australian eastern and western coasts. During September 1940 she proceeded to the French colony of New Caledonia to help in the transfer of formal control from Vichy to Free French forces and on 28 November 1942, the cruiser sank the German 'blockade runner' Ramses.

HMAS ADELAIDE provided gunfire support to landings in Ambon in 1944, before returning to Sydney for duties as a submarine depot ship. On 26 February 1946 HMAS ADELAIDE paid off from naval service and on 21 March 1947 was sold to be broken up in Port Kembla.

The ship's mainmast was erected adjacent to the Sphinx Memorial in Ku-ring-gai National Park in about 1950.