Smart guide to Light Horse Park's history

It will automatically provide information about the various historic aspects of the park as the visitor approaches features such as building foundations and commemorative signs.

The park committee hopes innovative use of this technology will help both residents and visitors to better understand the military history of the site and increase the number of visitors.

Mr Baillieu was the Anzac Centenary Committee chairman in Victoria for six years and said Australia had a typical approach to commemoration and remembrance.

‘‘Our approach is usually ritual based and if you ask children what happened on Anzac Day, they won’t remember, even a week later,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re bound by the ritual. Kids and adults know what to do but they don’t actually remember what happened.

‘‘What’s important is not the ritual but the connection. If we drew a thread from this place to the home of every veteran who served and came through Puckapunyal, it would be a tapestry across the world.

‘‘The power of connection to place and people’s home is that kids get it. If you give kids a thread of connection, they will have it for life.

‘‘Don’t underestimate the importance of the Australian Light Horse Memorial Park and how it offers young people a chance to find a thread they will have for life.’’

Light Horse Memorial Park committee president Scott McKay said the app meant the committee could get updated information out without putting signage everywhere.

‘‘The information at the park continues to stay relevant and interesting because we can update it,’’ Mr McKay said.

‘‘We can keep adding information about the park’s history, the area it’s in and the people involved to makes sure it is relevant and interesting.

‘‘It’s a way to get younger people involved. Younger people enjoy this mode of interaction rather than going along and reading signs.

‘‘And an important part of preserving the history is ensuring young people know about it. Otherwise, it disappears.’’