General News
22 April, 2025
First Anzac Day service for Majorca’s Avenue of Honour to reflect on fallen soldiers
Friday will be a special day for the Majorca community, as they come together alongside the recently planted Avenue of Honour to commemorate the sacrifices made by local soldiers.
Carisbrook Historical Society program coordinator Alex Stoneman said the trees will be observed this year for Anzac Day as a reminder of the sacrifices of local soldiers in World War I and World War II.
“There are 1200 avenues of honour in Victoria, mostly at war memorials, and here really needed one,” he said.
In July 2024, 10 trees were supplied and planted by a small group of local volunteers at the site.
“They are Algerian Oaks, and they are ideal because they have a lovely shape. They are drought resistant, frost resistant and they don’t drop their limbs,” Mr Stoneman said.
To ensure their survival, these trees have been watered throughout summer and autumn by the Carisbrook Fire Brigade.
Following this, Carisbrook Historical Society members were also recently awarded $4000 from the Victorian Department of Veterans’ Affairs to design and erect signage at the site.
“We identified the pressing need to provide important heritage signage in this locality and our case was strengthened by the planting of the Avenue of Honour,” Mr Stoneman said.
He said this will display information on the soldiers commemorated on the Majorca War Memorial, including details of local World War I and World War II soldiers at Majorca, Craigie, Cotswold and Rodborough, and illustrated information about the history of the four major public reserves in Majorca, including the newly planted Avenue of Honour itself.
“There will be more information for people and what happened to them during the war on one side, and on the other side identifying public reserves in Majorca and their history,” he said
The submission gained critical support from the Majorca Hall and Gardens Committee, the Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, Maryborough RSL, Central Goldfields Shire Council, and Carisbrook Fire Brigade.
Mr Stoneman was also thankful for the volunteers who have worked on the project.
“A big thank you to the volunteers who have worked so hard to bring this project about,” he said.
The Carisbrook Historical Society plan to complete the signage in time for an official unveiling on Remembrance Day this year.
The Majorca Anzac Day service will be at 9.45 am this Friday, April 25 at the Majorca War Memorial.