On Saturday 28th September 1918, 38 Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) trees were planted, to create the Soldiers Memorial Avenue, in the historic Port Arthur precinct.
17 trees honouring those who made the supreme sacrifice; a further 21 to those currently serving or who have served on the front. All from the Carnarvon and Oakwood districts.
SOLDIERS’ AVENUE AT
CARNARVON.
THE PLANTING.
The ceremony in connection with the soldiers’ avenue at Carnarvon took place on Saturday and was of a most impressive character. The avenue is in memory of the soldiers belonging to or having near relatives in the district who have made the supreme sacrifice, a tree being dedicated to each. The name of the men are
Corporal Gordon Blackwood, Private A. R. Cahill, Private W. Davis, Private L. Johnson, Private T. Smith, Private R. Taylor, Private A. Woolley, Private T. Burton, Private James Boden, Private L. Hawkins, Private F. McGuinness, Private C. Seabourne, Private A. Wright, Private T. Mason, Major O. Woods, Private T. Dale, and Private C. Clayton.
The avenue was further extended by planting trees also in honour of those serving or who have served at the front their names being
Gunner R. Blackwood, Corporal E. Liddle, Private W. McGinness, Private McArthur, Private T. McArthur, Private G. McArthur, Lieut. Albury D.C.M., Sapper T. Burton, Private W. Davis, Private T. Riley, Private Jos. Ray, Private M. Wellard Private W. Mason, Private E. Cotton, Private H. Shreeves, Corporal E. A. Targett, Private R. Seabourne, Private E. Tyler, Private J. Fitzgerald, Private Tas. McGuinness, Private V. McGuinness.
Prior to the planting the Rev. Mr. Wilson conducted divine service in the hall a large congregation attending. On assembling at the avenue, Mr John Blackwood (chairman of the avenue committee), after apologising for the absence of the Warden for the district, who was unavoidably prevented from attending delivered a sympathetic and eloquent address. The hymn “Abide with Me” was then sung by the assemblage after which the planting of the trees by the soldiers’ relatives was reverently proceeded with. The whole of the proceeding reflected credit on the large and hard-working committee, which had been formed under the leadership of Mr. John Blackwood as chairman and Mr. A. Connelly as hon. secretary.
The Mercury (TAS), Tuesday 1st October 1918 p6
By 2013 the original trees had reached their useful life expectancy, the avenue in decline and several trees having already been removed and not replaced.
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Thanks to the foresight of the management authority, a plan of action to restore the Soldiers’ memorial Avenue was devised, to sustain its original commemorative purpose and significant heritage value and to provide future currency for several more generations.
With recommendations from an arboricultural consultancy, the remaining, near century-old trees, were removed in a series of blocks, followed by replanting of the same species, staged over several years. This allowed the integrity of the memorial avenue to be perpetuated, without complete removal from the landscape.
The first block of trees was destined to be removed in April 2013.
On the occasion of the Centenary of Armistice, Remembrance Day 11th November 2018, the planting of the final replacement Cupressus macrocarpa tree, was planned to complete the newest iteration of the Port Arthur Soldiers Memorial Avenue.
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