Avenue of Honour at Tooradin

These three articles talk about the establishment of the  Avenue of Honour at Tooradin. The Avenue is fairly unusual as it consists of native Flowering Gums, not introduced trees such as Oaks or Poplars, like many of the other Avenues in the region. Having said that, the Harkaway Avenue of Honour, also had Flowering Gums, you can read about this, here.

Koo Wee Rup Sun August 6, 1919

Interesting article, the writer feels that an Avenue would be a most sensible method to honor the lads who served abroad from this locality and they hope that the trees will give to Tooradin an additional charm. The writer also feels that the Avenue is much better than solid granite monuments of obelisks some communities morbidly select to express their tribute of thanks and commemoration to the boys. 

Koo Wee Rup Sun  August 13, 1919

This article, in the paper  a week later,  says that Mr Cooper, Curator of the Alexandra Gardens, selected the Western Australian Flowering Gums. This was George William Cooper, who worked with  Carlo Catani on the design and planting out  of Alexandra Avenue and Alexandra Gardens. Carlo is also, of course, the namesake for the town of Catani. Mr Cooper's father, also called George, was foreman of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. You can read more about Mr Cooper, here. 

Koo Wee Rup Sun  August 20, 1919

Forty trees were planted on Thursday, August 14 1919. They were planted on the Melbourne side of the bridge. Later on, additional trees were planted up Tooradin Station Road.

This is the Tooradin Avenue of Honour, taken from the book Our Living Memorials: Avenues of Honour in the City of Casey (City of Casey, 2001) You can read this publication on-line at https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/avenues-of-honour