Avenue of Honour Trentham

At the end of the First World War the Trentham community was considering how best to commemorate those who had served. Avenues of Honour were a popular form of war-memorial in Victoria so, in 1918, the Trentham Soldiers Avenue committee was formed.

The committee advised the local council ‘that it was the intention of the people… to plant a number of trees in the streets as a tribute to the soldiers who had enlisted in that District.’

The residents of Trentham would carry out the work and they asked Council to subsidise the costs on a pound for pound basis. Council agreed to subsidise up to £50, with the work supervised by the Council Engineer. Tree planting began that year and continued in the following Spring.

Trentham has an Avenue in two parts: (1) Bridge St, from Forest St to Watsons Bridge, and (2) Cosmo Rd, from High St to Drummond St.

It appears that the Avenue was not officially completed as there was not sufficient funds to make a name-plate for each of the trees.

In 2014 Trentham & District Historical Society held a ceremony to unveil signage marking the two parts of the Avenue and dedicate the  Avenue of Honour.

Acknowledgement: Adapted from the Trentham & District Historical Society's publication Trentham at War, Boer War, World War 1, World War 2 by 

Ina Bertrand & Jan Robertson.