AMID the flowers, cards and other ephemera for Jill Meagher stands the first permanent memorial to the Irishwoman since she was abducted and murdered 11 days ago. In the weak dawn light yesterday, Joe Trovato, a stonemason, put a 50-kilogram stone carefully at the site, at Gisborne South near Melbourne, where the body of the 29-year-old was found last Friday.
Mr Trovato said he did not want publicity about his memorial, but added he had put up the stone because he had lived for many years in nearby Melton and because his parents lived ''about three dirt roads'' away from where Ms Meagher's body was found.
A private funeral for Ms Meagher will be held in Melbourne on Friday. The service, at 10.30am, will be followed by a cremation.
