The memorial is a pillar made of concrete, marble, and stone, surmounted by a large cross. The pillar has two levels, both hexagonal in shape. The top level contains the names of 200 soldiers who served in the First World War, inscribed on five of its six faces. The bottom level contains several plaques, which are inscribed with the names of veterans from the Second World War, the Malayan Emergency, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These plaques were added in 1988.
After the First World War, the idea of constructing a memorial to those who served was occasionally discussed; however, funds were always an issue. Due to this, there was no memorial in Nabiac until Mr G. Alec Campbell, the principal of Nabiac Public School, got involved. A public meeting was held on 22 May 1928, where it was decided to build a war memorial and £170 was made available for its construction.
By 9 February 1931, Campbell's design was accepted and the park next to the police station was chosen as the site, where the memorial still stands today. Robert Croker, a veteran of the First World War, was awarded the contract to build the memorial. He made it clear he would only hire other veterans to help him with construction.
The memorial was unveiled on Anzac Day, 25 April 1932 by Mrs Sarah Jane Croker, mother of Robert Croker and two other young men who were killed in action.
In 2018, the local government received a grant to restore the memorial. As part of the restoration, the lead lettering was repaired and a sign detailing the history of the memorial was installed. The memorial is the largest of the 18 war memorials in the Manning Valley.