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The
Ballarat Avenue of Honour is significant as the earliest known memorial avenue to have been planted in Victoria, and appears to have stimulated similar plantings throughout Victoria in the years 1917 to 1921. They predominate in Victoria with the greatest concentration in the Central Highlands around
Ballarat. These avenues represent a new approach in the commemoration of soldiers where service rank was not a consideration. The
Ballarat Avenue is the longest avenue of honour in Australia.
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The idea for the
Ballarat Avenue of Honour in 1917 was attributed to Mrs W.D. (Tilly) Thompson, a director of a local clothing manufacturer, E. Lucas & Co. Between June 1917 and August 1919, a tree was planted for each soldier who enlisted as a resident of the urban area of
Ballarat. The trees were planted in order of the soldiers enlistment, and stretched some 22km along the Western Highway, consisting of 3,771 trees.
To this day, the Avenue continues to present a vast and memorable gateway to
Ballarat, and a grand living monument to those who volunteered for active service.
In 1934 the original Avenue name plates fixed to the tree guards (most of which were lost or missing) were replaced with the permanent bronze name plaques in the Avenue today. Manufactured by the local
Ballarat firm of Mann Bros., the plaques were hand cast in gunmetal and bolted to mild steel straps set in concrete footings at the base of each tree.
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The previous Avenue name plates fixed to the tree guards between 1917 and 1919 originally recorded each soldier's name (including full Christian name), unit and rank. However, in 1934
the Arch of Victory Avenue of Honour Committee decided that no reference to any title or rank should be included on the new plaques, and that full Christian names would be replaced with an initial. Consequently, each bronze
plaque records a soldier's name (surname with up to three initials), tree number and battalion. When known, many of the plaques also included a cross below a soldier's name to indicate that they were killed in action.
The Arch of Victory was unveiled 2nd June 1920
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The result of a great deal of work by the girls employed by E Lucas and Co., who raised the money required to build
the Arch.
The foundation stone was laid on the 7th February 1920 by General Sir William
Birdwood and
the Arch was opened on the 2nd of June 1920 by the Prince of Wales.
The Arch is made of bricks, cement rendered. On sunday 13th March 1938, Mr S Walker, President of the
Ballarat RSSIA unveiled the Temple of Remembrance which is situated at
the entrance of the Avenue of Honour. The temple houses a Book of Remembrance which contains a number of steel sheets upon which have been inscribed the names of every person in whose honour a tree has been planted in the Avenue. On the 7th of November 1954, Lieutenant General Sir Leslie Morshead unveiled two tablets to acknowledge the
services of the men and women from
Ballarat in the 1939 - 1945 war.
1919 marked the final planting (eighth section) of the Avenue of Honour on August 16th. The completed Avenue comprised 3,771 trees (23 species), extended over a distance of approx. 14
miles and cost a little over £2,000. A returned soldier was employed to maintain the Avenue.
In 1921 Two captured German Gun war trophies placed at
the Arch of Victory unveiled on Anzac Day.
1950 Official Anzac Day dawn service shifted from
the Arch of Victory to the newly erected Cenotaph on Sturt Street. Short wreath laying ceremonies were still held at
the Arch during subsequent years.
1954 Two
granite plaques added to
the Arch to commemorate the
services of members of the Army, Navy and Air Force during World War 2 unveiled on Remembrance Day.
1965 CRB announced proposed scheme to widen Avenue to allow for construction of a four lane divided highway, including realignment of the roadway around
the Arch. Regular replacement of dead/missing trees discontinued because a major replanting scheme was considered necessary.
1987 Memorial plaques on
the Arch dedicated to Malaya, Korea, Borneo and Vietnam Veterans unveiled on October 25th. 400 trees replanted in the Avenue in a joint project between the Committee, Eureka Apex Club, and the Shire and City Councils.
1988 Avenue of Honour classified by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) on the Register of Significant Trees. First stage of the
Ballarat Bypass begun by the RCA.
1990 Total of 102 existing Avenue trees removed by VicRoads during the widening of three intersections along the Western Highway - Haddon Road & Windermere Road intersection, Heinz Lane intersection, and Crown and Sceptre Road & Finches Road intersection - with replacement trees planted approx. 9m back from the edge of the roadway. Arch of Victory Avenue of Honour Committee formed a policy on Western Highway Bypass, supporting moves which reduce traffic volumes and improve road safety on this section of the Highway but objecting to the way in which the Bypass breaks the Avenue into two separate parts at the Avenue Road intersection.
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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
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