An avenue of trees will be planted in the grounds of the Lilydale District School to grow and flourish in a way that the lives of the fallen servicemen never did.
Lilydale’s War Memorial lists 16 local men that the village lost during World War One.
The Lilydale District School has been researching the lives of the 16 men who are mentioned on the local war memorial, as well as their own family members who enlisted.
The Lilydale District School, in conjunction with the Lilydale RSL Sub Branch, received $4,000 from the Centenary of ANZAC Grant Program to develop an Avenue of Honour within the school. Some of the research conducted on the soldiers will appear on interpretation panels within the Avenue of Honour.
The grant funding assisted the school in engaging the services of a landscape designer and landscape gardener to assist with the development of a professional path. The path will be lined with rosemary and open out to blackwoods that form a circle with a plaque explaining the garden.
The Avenue will serve as a reminder to the students of the high price paid by previous generations so that current generations can live as they do. It will also raise awareness of the current service and peacekeeping undertaken by Australian servicemen and women.
The involvement of young people in projects such as Lilydale’s builds respect for the work and ensures traditions are continued into the future
Organising excursions is a logistical exercise for schools. The Avenue of Honour will be an easily accessible venue for learning, spontaneity, reflecting, Anzac Day services and commemorating.
The Avenue will be open to the public and provide families with a place to visit and remember. The Lilydale Painted poles will provide a connection between the school and the village and direct the community to explore the Avenue of Honour.
During the Centenary of ANZAC, the Lilydale District School students have also created works for the “Fighting our cousins” exhibition.
Lilydale was home to a number of Germans during World War One, some of whom enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force. Lilydale residents continue to respect and live in the village with community members of German origin.
Read about other successful Centenary of ANZAC grant recipients.