Avenue of honour facts for kids
In Australia, an Avenue of Honour is a special memorial. It's a long road or path lined with trees. Each tree is planted to remember a specific person. This tradition began in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Australia. It has become a very important part of Australian culture.
There are 547 known Avenues of Honour across Australia. You can find them in every state and territory except the Northern Territory. More than half of these special avenues are located in Victoria.
Most Avenues of Honour were created to remember people who fought or died in wars. Many were planted after World War I (1914–1918). However, the very first ones remembered Australia's role in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). Sometimes, all the young men from a town joined the army together. If there was a big battle, many of them might have been lost. Many trees in these avenues have small metal plaques. These plaques often show the names of the people being remembered.
Today, many of these avenues feature large, old trees. Some even have interesting types of trees from other parts of the world.
Contents
Protecting these special places
Many Avenues of Honour are very important historical sites. Some are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. This means they are officially protected. Other avenues are protected by local councils or the National Trust of Australia. This helps keep them safe for the future.
However, some avenues have been affected by new road building. It's a challenge to balance new developments with keeping these important memorials safe.
There's also an online project called "Avenues of Honour 1915-2015." It was started by Treenet, a group that studies urban trees. This project helps to record and share information about these special avenues. You can find it at www.avenuesofhonour.org.
Famous Avenues of Honour
Some Avenues of Honour are especially well-known.
Avenues in Victoria
- Ballarat — This is the longest Avenue of Honour. It stretches for 22 kilometres and has 3,912 trees! It's even more impressive because of its grand Arch of Victory at the entrance.
- Bacchus Marsh Road — This avenue is made of beautiful Dutch Elm trees. It honors local people who joined the army in the First World War. All 281 trees were planted at the same time in 1918. A bugle call marked the moment.
- Eurack
- Macedon-Woodend Road, Shire of Macedon Ranges
- Anglesea – This avenue is a bit different. It has flowering gum trees (corymbia ficifolia). Seventy-two trees were planted here, but only a few remain today.
- Ballarat East — There was once another Avenue of Honour here. It marked the eastern entrance to Ballarat. Only a few trees are left. Most were removed when a rail bridge was built in the 1960s.
- Macedon
- Booroopki
- Buchan South
- Daylesford
- Hotspur
- Kongwak
- Lakes Entrance
- Lysterfield
- Wandin North - This avenue also has flowering gum trees.
- Woodend North
- Ballarat Orphanage's Arthur Kenny Avenue
Avenues outside Victoria
- Yungaburra, Queensland
- Manly Vale, Sydney, New South Wales – This avenue was started in 2005. It remembers the brave Merchant Navy sailors from both world wars.
- Cowra, New South Wales
- O'Connell, New South Wales
- Albany, Western Australia
- Armadale, Western Australia
- Kings Park, Western Australia - Look for May Drive, Lovekin Drive, and Marri Walk here.
- Hobart, Tasmania
