Avenue of honour
Avenue of Honour is the term given to a memorial avenue of trees, with each tree symbolising a person.
The tradition, which originated in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia is an important part of Australian culture.
Most avenues are in remembrance of those who fought or died war, particularly the Great War - World War I (1914–1918), from the town in which the avenue was planted. Since soldiers were grouped by the place they were recruited, a military defeat often meant all of the men of eligible age from the town were killed in the same battle. Many of the avenue's trees include metal plaques naming the victims.
Many of these avenues now feature large, established trees and exotic species.
Several of these avenues are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, most others are afforded local levels of heritage protection through the various Local government in Australia and the National Trust of Australia however many such avenues have since been affected by road development.
State Significant Avenues
- Ballarat (Alfredton, Cardigan and Cardigan Village, Ballarat-Burrumbeet Road C805) — The oldest (1917) and largest (22 kilometres & 3,912 trees) of the Avenues of Honour. Made ever grander by its Arch of Victory.[1][2]
- Bacchus Marsh Road — The avenue of elm trees serves as a tribute to local people who enlisted in the First World War. The 281 trees were simultaneously planted on the call of a bugle in 1918.[3]
- Eurack[4]
- Macedon-Woodend Road, Shire of Macedon Ranges[5]
Other Victorian Avenues of Honour
- Ballarat East - a second lesser known Avenue of Honour once marked the eastern entrance to Ballarat at Victoria Street. A handful of trees remain on one side of the road, the rest having been demolished, most during construction of the rail flyover in the 1960s.
- Honour Avenue, Macedon, Shire of Macedon Ranges[6]
- Booroopki[7]
- Lysterfield[8]
- Lakes Entrance[9]
- Woodend North
- Buchan South[10]
- Hotspur[11]
- Daylesford
- Kongwak
Avenues of Honour outside Victoria
- Yungaburra, Queensland[12]
- An important newly established Avenue of Honour in Manly Vale, Sydney, NSW.[13]
- O'Connell, New South Wales
- Cowra, New South Wales[14]
- Albany, Western Australia
- Armadale, Western Australia
- Hobart, Tasmania
See also
References
- ^ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;4220
- ^ Ballarat Avenue of Honour
- ^ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;4957
- ^ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;12270
- ^ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;12522
- ^ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;85459
- ^ Borookpi Avenue of Honour
- ^ Lysterfield Avenue of Honour
- ^ Lakes Entrance Avenue of Honour
- ^ Buchan South Avenue of Honour
- ^ Hotspur Avenue of Honour
- ^ Yungaburra Avenue of Honour
- ^ http://www.avenuesofhonour.org/King%20Street%20Avenue%20of%20Honour.html
- ^ Cowra Avenue of Honour