Royal Australian Navy Memorial, Naval memorial in Anzac Parade, Canberra, Australia

The Royal Australian Navy Memorial, also called Sailors and Ships – Interaction and Interdependence, stands on Anzac Parade in Canberra. It was designed and executed by Ante Dabro with Lester Firth and Associates and Robert Woodward. Bronze figures show daily naval activities, while geometric forms such as an anchor chain depict ship elements, and torrents of water complement the dynamic forms.

The memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II on 3 March 1986, the 75th anniversary of the day the Commonwealth Naval Forces became the Royal Australian Navy on 10 July 1911. It honours sailors who have served the nation in all oceans, in conflict and in peace, since that renaming.

The memorial is also titled Sailors and Ships – Interaction and Interdependence, a name that points to the link between the bronze figures and the ship forms around them. The figures show daily naval activities, and the anchor chain and flowing water carry the ship imagery. The memorials along Anzac Parade were specifically exempted from water restrictions during the 2005 drought so the water could keep running.

The memorial stands on the western side of Anzac Parade, within sight of the Australian War Memorial at the avenue's northern end. Its water features kept running through the 2005 drought, when the memorials along Anzac Parade were specifically exempted from water restrictions. The site is outdoors and level, so it can be visited on foot at any hour.

The plaques detail specific naval campaigns and operations from different periods with information that provides insight into lesser-known maritime events. Many visitors pass through without noticing these inscriptions and miss the chance to learn about operations beyond the most famous ones.