Kingston Avenue of Honour

07/10/2026

Working Bee
Please join the Friends of the Avenue on Sunday 25 October for our Working Bee in the Avenue of Honour at Kingston from 10am to 12pm. Kingston Fire Brigade CFA have kindly offered the use of their station for sign ins and our free BBQ lunch afterwards for all volunteers.

Please meet at the Kingston CFA Station at 10am to sign in and collect your safety vest. Please bring hand tools such as secateurs or loppers for trimming suckers near the base of the trees, and/or line trimmers for trimming the grass around them. Gardening gloves recommended.

01/10/2026

The Ripon candidates’ debate is on this Sunday 4 October 2026 from 2.45pm to 4pm at Newlyn Footy Club. The flyer is attached. (Doors open at 2.15pm.)

We will kick off with a couple of minutes from a local farmer who will outline his views on some of the local issues for the farming sector and we will also hear from the CEO of Destination Central Victoria about key issues for the local tourism sector.

Then we will start the debate. An independent moderator has been organised from outside the district. A list of questions from the community will be provided to the moderator in advance to give him some ideas and to shape the community Q&A discussion. There will also be an opportunity for people to ask questions from the floor.

There’s only 250 seats in the venue so we suggest you get there early.

WHAT WILL YOU DO, IF ELECTED?

Please join us at Newlyn Footy Club on Sunday, 4 October.

We have confirmed attendance from candidates for all the major parties. This is a chance to ask your questions and to see the candidates in action.
What will they do for our community, if elected?

What’s your question for the candidates?

KDPA’s question - we want to know what each candidate’s position is on Western Renewables Link - VNI West.

Megan Read - Liberal for Ripon
Martha Haylett MP
Bev McArthur MP
Tim Drylie Greens for Ripon
One Nation Party
The Nationals for Regional Victoria
National Party of Australia

29/09/2026

TREE REPLACEMENTS

Hepburn Shire Council’s senior arborist Matthew Daniel recently reviewed the Avenue trees. He has identified six trees that have reached their Useful Life Expectancy. They will be removed and replaced this spring. These works are made possible through the State Government’s Restoring Community War Memorials and Avenues of Honour Grants program.

Please contact us on [email protected] if you have a connection, or if you can assist us in contacting families. We try hard to involve relatives in the replanting of the memorial trees.

West 94 – Ernest William Miskin
West 76 – Percival Charles McHutchison
West 48 – Eric Claude White
East 103 – Frederick William Martin
East 102 - Charles Rasmussen
East 84 – William Shaw

26/09/2026

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING REPORT
Many thanks to everyone who attended our AGM, particularly our special guest speaker Evelyn Wright, who told us the engaging story of the documents connected to the plantings of the former Shire of Creswick Avenue of Honour. Evelyn explained how the documents came to the Creswick Museum Research Centre, and provided insight into the meetings, discussions and planning that went into the plantings, and the many local businesses involved. We could have listened to Evelyn all night!

Many thanks also to Deputy Mayor Shirley Cornish, who officiated our meeting with flair, and Councillors Don Henderson and Tim Drylie for attending , along with Simon Fishlock, Council’s Acting Manager of Operations.

Many thanks to The Commercial at Kingston for hosting and providing supper, and additional thanks to Shirley for suggesting and sharing the group photo, and to Trace from The Commercial for taking the photo.

OFFICE BEARERS:
President - Julie Baulch
Vice President - Claire Rowlands
Secretary - Lisa Howlett
Treasurer - Leah Armstrong
Minutes Secretary - Margaret Robinson
Committee Members - Margaret Armstrong, Penny Swain, Paul Baker

Special thanks to our outgoing Committee Member Wendy Dunton, it’s been a pleasure, and welcome to our new Committee Member Paul Baker.

17/09/2026

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING REMINDER

Our Annual General Meeting will be held next Wednesday 23 September at the Commercial at Kingston Hotel, 410 Kingston Road. 6.30 for a 7pm start.

This year we are very pleased to have Evelyn Wright as our guest speaker. Evelyn is a local historian and archivist with the Creswick Museum Research Centre. She has a wealth of knowledge about the Avenue gleaned from primary source material held at the Research Centre.

Please RSVP by 21 September for catering purposes. [email protected]

05/09/2026

CALLING ALL LOCALS Celebrate 40 Years of Landcare – Community Planting Day

In keeping with our interest in supporting trees and the environment, Kingston Friends of the Avenue Inc. is extending an invitation to a community planting day next Sunday 13 September.

This year marks 40 Years of Landcare in Australia, and our local Landcare groups are celebrating by coming together for a community planting day at a private property in Creswick North. It promises to be a great opportunity not only to put 1850 trees in the ground, but also to connect with fellow supporters of nature.

In the true spirit of Landcare, we’ll be helping a young local farmer establish native vegetation on their property, improving habitat and creating a lasting environmental legacy.

Event Details
When: Sunday 13 September
Where: 185 Creswick Lawrence Road, Creswick North
Start Time: A civilised 9:00am start
What's Provided:
Morning tea
Lunch

Please Register
It is essential that everyone registers with Humanitix using the link below.

Registration Link:
https://events.humanitix.com/creswicknorthfarmplanting
A quick registration makes a big difference to planning the day and ensures we have enough food, equipment, and support for everyone.

Planting Details
Two revegetation areas have been prepared and fenced:
A dense single-row boundary planting
A multi-layer native planting along creek lines

Recent rain should provide excellent planting conditions, however please be aware that some areas may be uneven or a little muddy underfoot.

Let's celebrate 40 years of Landcare the way it all began, people coming together, lending a hand, and making a lasting difference on the ground.

We hope to see you there.

Landcare farm planting at Creswick North

02/09/2026

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

You are cordially invited to attend our Annual General Meeting to be held on Wednesday 23 September at the Commercial at Kingston Hotel, 410 Kingston Road. 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

This year we are very pleased to have Evelyn Wright as our guest speaker. Evelyn is a local historian and archivist with the Creswick Museum Research Centre. She has a wealth of knowledge about the Avenue gleaned from primary source material held at the Research Centre.

We welcome Deputy Mayor Councillor Shirley Cornish, who will officiate at our AGM.

Please RSVP by 16 September for catering purposes. [email protected]

18/08/2026

On 18 August each year, Australia pauses to remember the 60,000 men and women who served in the Vietnam War. In 2026, we mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan.

Vietnam Veterans Day honours the service and sacrifice of all Australians who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975, and acknowledges the difficult homecoming many veterans faced on their return.

Kingston, Friends of the Avenue Inc. acknowledge Vietnam Veterans Day and remember those from the district who served, in particular Jeffrey Donald McMillan, who was a longtime resident of Allendale and Broomfield and founding member of Kingston Friends of the Avenue in 1998.

Jeff McMillan was born on the 23 May 1945 and joined the Australian Army in 1966. In 1967 he went to Vietnam with 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment.

After returning to Australia, he became President of Creswick-Smeaton RSL in 1975 and remained President until 2005. He remained President for over 30 years.

Jeff was one of the first Vietnam Veterans in Australia to hold the post of President of an RSL branch.

Lest we forget.

16/08/2026

Please note that a section of Kingston Road from Church Parade to Alcorns Road will have traffic management in place Tuesday 18 August from approximately 7.30am to 1.30pm, due to filming of a commercial. A permit has been granted by Hepburn Shire Council, and the production company kindly made a donation to support the Avenue of Honour at Kingston.

Traffic will be held temporarily while filming is taking place, so you may wish to allow extra time, or take an alternative route.