General News
11 February, 2021
New trees for Avenue of Honour
MOYNE Shire Council has ended almost a decade of uncertainty after formalising plans for the future of Mortlake’s Avenue of Honour at last week’s ordinary council meeting.
MOYNE Shire Council has ended almost a decade of uncertainty after formalising plans for the future of Mortlake’s Avenue of Honour at last week’s ordinary council meeting.
Council nominated the Holm Oak as the replacement tree for the existing Monterey Cypress trees in the Avenue of Honour.
The replacement of trees was expected to be staged over four years with an overall cost of $450,000 over four years, including approximately $150,000 during the first year.
Mortlake Returned and Services League (RSL) president Merv Hampson said the group was “quite happy” with the result.
“We’re pleased that at long last it has been resolved,” he said.
“It’s been going on for a long time.”
Mr Hampson felt the lengthy process had been fair on the voices of the RSL and their voices had been heard.
“We’re pleased with the way the shire council has handled this,” he said.
“It has been a difficult process.”
Mr Hampson said the group was “very happy” with the decision to nominate the Holm Oak as the replacement species.
“I think it will be a fine looking tree,”he said.
“There is one here in the local gardens and it is a fine tree.
“The thing is they should grow together and close to each other, so it will make a proper avenue.”
The decision follows a nine-year battle after the Mortlake Returned and Services League (RSL) approached council in 2012 requesting an investigation in to the future management of the avenue as many of the trees in the avenue were reaching the end of their life cycle, resulting in the splitting and fallingof limbs.
Holm Oak was chosen as the only species which both Heritage Victoria and Mortlake RSL approved.
The species was considered well suited to grow in the Mortlake environment while providing the required heritage aesthetic and maintaining a sense of stature in the landscape.
Mr Hampson said he hopes the process can get under way quickly as the current trees were “old, dangerous and well past their use by date.”
“This is very important to the town,” he said.
“The avenue is a part of Mortlake and the whole country’s heritage.
“All those men had done so much for us in World War One, and this is a living memorial to their memory.”
The Mortlake Avenue of Honour was first planted in remembrance of World War One soldiers and was given the highest level of state heritage protection in 2015.
It is one of just a few Victorian avenues of honour to gain the top level of protection.
The first 80 cypress trees on the Hamilton Highway were planted in 1920 to commemorate the end of World War One, while the second section of 140 trees was planted after World War Two.
