The Redcliffe Anzac Memorial Avenue was established 1925 to commemorate the service and sacrifice of enlistees during WW1. Now simply known as ANZAC Avenue, it is an 18 kilometre road that connects Petrie in North Brisbane to Redcliffe on Moreton Bay.
It was Queensland’s first bitumen road connecting Brisbane to a seaside resort and was also the state’s longest WWI memorial avenue. It was built by returned servicemen as a re-employment project, starting in December 1922, and funded through public fundraising and government contributions. Two thousand trees were planted along the roadway from February 1925, enhancing the streetscape, and in keeping with a growing tradition of living memorials. Weather and roadworks took their toll over the years and some trees were replaced. Original plantings include the Cocos Palms planted at Petrie by Governor Nathan in 1925, a Hoop Pine planted at the Humpybong Esplanade corner of the avenue by Governor-General Lord Stonehaven, and a Fig at the roundabout terminating the avenue near Settlement Cove Lagoon. Anzac Memorial Avenue was one of about 200 treed avenues planted in the wake of WWI across Australia. The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) was a major supporter of its development, aligning with the newly-formed Main Roads Board. In this, the project uniquely blended WWI remembrance with the first drive-tourism initiative in Queensland.
