28/04/2026
Out near Havelock, along the Maryborough-Dunolly Road, there’s a stretch of old Sugar Gums most people drive past without thinking twice. But those trees have been there longer than most of us, and they’ve seen a fair bit. 🌳
That’s the Baden-Powell Avenue – planted back in 1900, and widely considered the first Avenue of Honour in Australia. No grand monument, just locals putting something in the ground to remember their own.
It all came from the headmaster at the time, F.W. Allinson. He had the idea to plant trees for those who served in the Boer War.
Council chipped in a few pounds, the town got behind it, and before long there were 40 or 50 trees running from the school down toward the railway – each one with a name behind it.
These days, there’s about 27 of the originals still standing. A couple are dead but still upright, a few have been replaced over the years, and some are just gone. But you can still follow the line of it if you know where to look.
Plenty of people drive past it every day and wouldn’t realise they’re looking at one of the oldest war memorials in the country. It’s just sitting there, same spot it’s always been – still marking the blokes it was planted for all those years ago. 🌸
