Plan to preserve Avenue

By Alice Dell (3rd Yr LaTrobe Uni)

Moorabool Shire Council has recently developed the Bacchus Marsh Avenue of Honour Management Strategy and Preservation Plan.

The Strategy and Plan will ensure the Avenue is conserved and effectively managed, by taking a proactive approach with inspections, exploring additional funding sources, and taking extra pest and disease control measures, among other things.

More than 1,000 people attended the original planting ceremony of the famous landmark, back on 10 August 1918.

According to the official Management Strategy document, Council’s main goal is to guarantee that the sacrifices of soldiers of the Bacchus Marsh District will be commemorated, well into the future.

“It is intended that the original vision for the Avenue will be maintained as far as is reasonably practicable.” the document states.

Trees in need of replacement will be propagated from existing ones under this new plan.

Council CEO, Derek Madden, says that the RSL and the Heritage Advisory Committee were all for this development.

“There was a shared understanding around the need for a strategic plan, to ensure that the avenue is maintained into the future, and an appreciation for the work that went into developing the documents and process around the tree replacements,” he told the Moorabool News.

“The Avenue of Honour is a very significant cultural asset in the shire, so careful management and maintenance is vitally important to us and to the community.”

The Preservation Plan will be renewed every five years.