Sir John Forrest Memorial

Sir John Forrest was Western Australia's greatest son. Born in 1847 at his father's wind-driven flour mill at Mill Point, at the mouth of the Preston river, 7 kilometres from Bunbury, he spent 18 years in state politics, all in executive office, then 18 years in federal politics, almost half as a cabinet minister.

First MLA for Bunbury, first Premier of WA, 5 times Federal Treasurer and, for a time, Forrest was acting Prime Minister. In 1918 he was created Baron Forrest of Bunbury, the first Australian to be raised to the British peerage.

Aged 71, he died that year at sea and was buried in Karrakatta cemetery. In 1979 Bunbury businessmen commissioned Mark Lebuse to sculpture Forrest's head, now in St Paul's place, on the corner of Victoria and Stephen streets, Bunury.