Appeal to restore damaged Avenue

AT least fifty of Ballarat’s Avenue of Honour trees were ripped from the ground and destroyed during October’s record-breaking destructive storm, with many more seeing damage.

As a result the Arch of Victory-Avenue of Honour committee has established an Avenue of Honour Restoration Appeal to generate funds to remove and replace the trees lost, of which 13 had commemorated the sacrifice of fallen servicemen.

Committee president Garry Snowden said trees 3327, 3619, 3872, and 1214 are just some of those “tragically” destroyed, which are in the name of Sebastopol’s Wallis Hicks, Alfredton’s David Louden, Soldiers Hill’s Sydney Weir and Ballarat’s Albert Telfer White respectively.

“Three of [the 13 men who lost their lives] have no known grave, so their tree and plaque in our Avenue was most likely the nearest they had to a headstone bearing their name,” he said.

“It was a memorial to their service, but also a place where their loved ones could visit to honour their service and mourn their loss.

“Even in the case of the ten who have a known grave, it was most unlikely that their families could have ever contemplated visiting a grave on the other side of the world, so their tree and plaque in the Avenue became their substitute headstones.”

Last week, committee members visited the Arch precinct to place poppies beside the names of those whose trees were destroyed.

The committee works in partnership with the City of Ballarat to maintain and restore the Avenue.

Those wishing to contribute to the Avenue of Honour Restoration Appeal can make a payment to the Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee Inc-Tree Restoration Appeal via the City of Ballarat Customer Service desk in Armstrong Street south’s Phoenix Building.

Alternatively, they can call committee members; Mr Snowden on 0487 313 137, vice-president Paul Jenkins on 0408 343 053, or secretary-treasurer Jeremy Johnson on 0407 860 883, before making a tax-deductible direct debit donation to the Arch of Victory/Avenue of Honour Committee Inc-Tree Restoration Appeal, with the BSB of 083 526 and account number of 51 924 3834.