COWRA SOLDIERS MEMORIAL AVENUE
The avenue of trees located along the Boorowa and Grenfell Roads are associated with great historical significance and represent an important era in Australian wartime history.
The Boorowa Road and Grenfell Road were selected by the Australian National Women’s League of Cowra during 1917 as an ideal location to plant 465 trees in remembrance of all the Australian soldiers from the Cowra district who served their country during the first World War.
The variety of trees planted were Eucalyptus cladocalyx (Sugar Gum), Grevillea robusta (Silky Oak) and Schinus molle (Peppercorn Tree), none of the trees being indigenous to the area. Schinus molle being the only non-native tree planted within the Avenue, was selected because of its huge popularity at the time with farmers. The tree was considered very hardy and soon became a common site around country homesteads all over Australia.
The trees were planted on Arbour Day 1917 and all trees used in the original planting were donated by the Sydney Botanical Gardens. The Avenue was officially opened in 1918 with the deputy premier of NSW and senior military officials present on the day. The Boorowa Road section of the Avenue was located on the road that linked Cowra with Canberra, the site of the National War Memorial.
Each soldier was allocated a tree, with a register detailing the event, unfortunatly the trees and the soldiers’ details were not corresponded in the field, which has made it difficult to match the trees up with existing records.
Over the years, Memorial Avenue has been restored with missing trees to represent the updated number of soldiers listed on the Honour Roll.
Planting the Avenue
Myee Planta was secretary of the Australian Women’s National League during 1917, the club decided to place a Soldiers’ memorial in the town. The Secretary visualised an uncared for monument in years to come. She suggested “An Avenue of beautiful trees which would beautify the district” – the idea was discussed and carried, and local papers had letters written by the secretary. A meeting of women decided to send Myee Planta to Sydney to select trees, so off she went, reaching the Botanical Gardens, where trees were being given for such purposes. Four hundred were selected, and the Secretary felt it was an event well accomplished. But alas, the committee had forgotten to ask permission from the Mayor of the Municipality to plant the trees and when she returned with four hundred trees also on the train, two distressed women met her on the station. “My dear! Such an unheard of thing has happened. You can not plant the trees.” “Why!” gasped the Secretary. “Oh! The Mayor and Alderman say the Women’s committee took too much for granted and refuse permission to have them planted”. “We must plant them somewhere, if only in a garden“, said the Secretary, panic-struck. Travelling all night with four hundred trees and not being able to plant them was a bolt from the blue. “To make it worse they are holding a public meeting to protest against your action”.
Afternoon came – a packed hall – important Mayor – more important Alderman.
Up through the crowded hall came Myee Planta, pale, resolute, on a plan of action, with her two timid Committee women. The whole audacious plan was explained at some length and before a vote was taken by the ratepayers. The Mayor hoped the trees would not be planted. The time had come for the courageous Secretary to address the ratepayers, with a forlorn hope that the trees would be saved. Public speaking was not her gift but brain waves were – “Mr Mayor, Gentlemen, quoth she. I apologise for not being aware that we had to write and ask permission to plant the trees, my committee and I were quite ignorant on that point, not knowing that permission was necessary, but surely I will be able to plant them – in my own garden”. The Mayor was asked to take a vote on the question of planting the Avenue.
Myee Planta’s heart almost stopped beating – A count of hands and the trees were saved. All became enthusiastic; one pastoralist promised to send twenty men to dig holes to plant the trees; another promised guards; a day was chosen, “Arbour day for the Soldiers trees!” The district people came nearly a thousand souls, the Avenue flourishes; the town takes a pride in the lovely trees. The Avenue is three miles long – where soldiers’ children play under the trees and Mothers dream of their hero sons.
Myee Planta is far away. The darkest thrill of her life was standing on a railway station with four hundred trees in the truck and nowhere to plant them.
Ruth Fitzgerald
History kindly provided by the Cowra and District Historical Society.
