Can you recall what you were doing a decade ago? 

Back in 2016, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and TreeNet started to contribute to a major report on Victoria’s Avenues of Honour. These take many different forms across the State – exotic trees and natives, proudly leading the way into our rural towns and within our cities. Each honours the brave men and women who served our Country in times of war. They are one of the parts of our living heritage that sparks the greatest civic pride within our communities. 

Working with the State Government and their nominated consultant, both organisations were glad to offer our expertise to this project, which aimed to define the importance of these avenues, the threats to them, and how best to conserve them for the future.  It was always understood that the report would be publicly released. 

After much work, the report was completed in 2021. We called for the release of this report, anticipating that it would form the basis of better strategic planning around these significant trees. In 2022, again we called on the government for it’s release. This April, after a patient 4 year wait, we contacted the Premiers Office and Minister for Veterans. So far, again we have received no response.  

In this time, we have classified additional Avenues of Honour that will not appear within the report, such as that at Havelock, and there remains no centralised strategy from state government on caring for this living heritage. Surely the memorials for people who served our Country deserve greater respect?

We call on the Victorian Government to urgently release the Avenues of Honour report and urge all our members to contact the Government to advocate for its immediate publication

Discover more about our beautiful Avenues of Honour here: 

Google Arts and Culture: Victoria’s Avenues of Honour Project

Avenues of Honour: Australia’s Living Memorials