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Avenue of honour

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Avenue of honour
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In Australia, an Avenue of Honour is 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. There are 547 known avenues of honour in Australia, in all states and territories except the Northern Territory. Over half are in Victoria.[1]

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The Avenue of Honour in Bacchus Marsh

Most avenues are in remembrance of those who fought or died in war, particularly World War I (1914–1918), although the earliest recorded avenues were planted in remembrance of Australia's participation in the Second Boer War (1899-1902).[1] 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.

An online project titled "Avenues of Honour 1915-2015" (www.avenuesofhonour.org) has been established by Treenet, the urban tree research and education organisation based at the University of Adelaide's Waite Arboretum.[1]

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State significant avenues

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Victory Arch at the entrance to the Avenue of Honour, Ballarat
  • Ballarat — The longest (22 kilometres and 3,912 trees) of the Avenues of Honour, made ever grander by its Arch of Victory.[2][3]
  • Bacchus Marsh Road — The avenue of Dutch 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.[4][5]
  • Eurack[6]
  • Macedon-Woodend Road, Shire of Macedon Ranges[7]
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Other Victorian Avenues of Honour

Avenues of Honour outside Victoria

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See also

References

Further reading

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