Pambula and District First World War Avenue of Honour

About

The Pambula and District Avenue of Honour was planted in the mid 1920s in memory of those from Pambula and many of the smaller surrounding settlements who were mobilised for military service in the First World War. It is a single row of River Oaks (Casuarina Cunninghamiana) planted on the east side of the Princes Highway as it exits Pambula heading south to cross the Pambula River towards Eden. The planting is roughly 0.8km long and follows the line of the original highway. Records suggest the avenue was planted by locals and also possibly funded by a local. River Oaks are indigenous to the region, which may make the avenue an unusual and significant planting for its time. In recent years, a new bridge over the Pambula River changed the line of the highway, which means the highway now veers away from the avenue at its southern (Pambula River) end. There is evidence of an old picnic area on the northern bank of the river here. The associated structures may have been removed when the course of the highway changed.  For years, the River Oaks had been lost among long grass, reeds, and self-sown trees such as Acacia mearnsii, but volunteers from Pambula Wetlands & Heritage Project Inc (PWHP Inc.) have recently cleaned out the understory, mown the grass and removed fallen branches. In 2023, the trees appear to be in good condition.

Photos