Byaduk Avenue of Honour
Byaduk - Penshurst Road,Byaduk, SOUTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
CO0053 AVENUE OF HONOUR, BYADUK
Historic Places Register (DSE): 3108
Assessed as being of local significance in Southern Grampians Heritage Study 2004 Tim Hubbard, proposed for inclusion on Heritage overlay HO75.
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Byaduk Avenue of Honour - Physical Description 1
Avenue. Has monument (stone tablet). 40 names on plaque.
Fraxinus angustifolia (Desert Ash, or Narrow leafed Ash)Byaduk Avenue of Honour - Historical Australian Themes
Remembering the fallen
Byaduk Avenue of Honour - Usage/Former Usage
Commemoration
Veterans Description for Public
Byaduk Avenue of Honour - Veterans Description for Public
The Byaduk Avenue of Honour has had two separate plantings of living memorials.The first plantings were undertaken in 1918, immediately after the end of the First World War. Forty Grevillia robusta (Silky oak) were planted from the intersection of the Hamilton - Port Fairy Road stretching west along the Penshurst Road to the old mill bridge. The total cost for the trees, guards and memorial plaques in 1918 was twenty six pounds.
A manuscript held by the Mechanic's Institute, attributed to the head teacher, Mr J V Danahar describes how all of the residents of Byaduk attended the tree planting. The school children, under the leadership of their teacher, Mr A Paul, rendered patriotic selections. Councillor D Fraser opened the ceremony and planted the first tree, that in honour of this brother, the late Lieut S Fraser. A relative or a friend then planted a tree in honour of each of the remaining thirty - nine soldiers". At the time the manuscript was written (1922) he stated that "all of the trees are growing, and are now about eight feet high. On each guard, there is a white enamelled name plate bearing in black letters the name and rank of the soldier and the name of the country in which he fought. To the name plates of the heroes who fell a black cross had been added".
These trees stood as a living memorial to the forty men who served in the First World War. The use of silky oak as a memorial planting is unusual, and certainly uncommon in Victoria. It is not known why this species of tree was chosen, rather than the more traditional choices of Cypress, Plan, Oak or Elm. No other memorial plantings have used this species in the Shire of Southern Grampians. The original planting of Silky oaks were removed in 1963. This may have been due to poor condition and senescence as this species tends to be short lived and difficult to maintain well in this area.
A tablet of grey granite on a concrete base was erected between 1957-8 to replace the cast-iron name plates at the foot of each tree as they had been badly vandalised. This tablet was designed by Holden of Holden and Grambau, Ballarat Road, Hamilton.
A decision was made to replant the avenue with Fraxinus angustifolia (Claret Ash), and the current avenue was planted on the 4th of July 1963. It is not known why this species was chosen to as the choice for replanting the avenue, although it has been suggested it may be for the symbolic crimson autumnal foliage.
In Australia, commemorative trees have been planted in public spaces since the late nineteenth century. Arbor Days were held regularly in most Victorian State Schools during the late 1800s and early 1900s, and numerous trees were planted in parks in Melbourne and throughout Victoria to mark the visits of important and famous people.
This tradition of commemorative planting was continued in 1901 when at the end of the Boer War trees were often planted for each soldier of the district who was killed in South Africa. These plantings, however, rarely consisted of more than two or three trees in each town.
During and after the First World War avenues of honour consisting of trees lining significant streets became a popular form of commemoration. They represented a new egalitarian approach to the commemoration of soldiers where rank was not a consideration: each tree symbolises a person.
Avenues of honour are a uniquely Australian phenomenon. Australians, and in particular Victorians, embraced the idea of planting them more enthusiastically than any other country in the world. The Eurack Avenue of Honour is the earliest known avenue of honour to be planted in Victoria and dates from May 1916.
By the time of the Second World War avenues of honour had declined in popularity as a means of commemoration. Today it is estimated that over 300 avenues of honour have been planted in Victoria to commemorate service personnel since 1901.
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WAR MEMORIALSSouthern Grampians Shire
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AVENUE OF HONOURSouthern Grampians Shire
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HOLMES FLOUR MILL (FORMER)Southern Grampians Shire
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