The Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue is Australia’s longest eucalypt memorial avenue, spanning almost 20 kilometres and including over 2,400 native trees commemorating all those who served in World War II from Shepparton and surrounding areas.
It is an easily identifiable landmark comprising of double-row, equally spaced trees on each side of the Goulburn Valley Highway from Seven Creeks to the Murchison-Violet Town Road. The Avenue is included in the Victorian Heritage Register for its historic, aesthetic and social significance to the state of Victoria.
To conserve and enhance the Memorial Avenue, Council formed the Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue Advisory Committee in 2017 to investigate funding for a restoration, inform residents and the community of its significance and enhance and conserve the Avenue.
Greater Shepparton City Council Director Sustainable Development Geraldine Christou said Council had growing concerns regarding the integrity of the Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue over recent years. “There have been a variety of issues affecting the memorial such as prolonged droughts in recent years, the distinct lack of awareness of the memorial avenue’s significance, inappropriate garden plantings in front of houses, removal of significant trees and ad hoc maintenance,” she said.
Council is currently in the process of circulating informative pamphlets to owners directly abutting and adjacent to the Goulburn Valley Highway between Mitchell Road and Union Road, Kialla to raise awareness of the issues with the Avenue.
The Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue advisory committee comprises key stakeholders including Shepparton RSL, VicRoads, Greater Shepparton City Council, Strathbogie Shire Council and Heritage Victoria who have been actively cooperating to address these issues to ensure the Memorial Avenues preservation for future generations.
For more information on the Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue click here.
