A SMALL group of community members gathered in Central Park at the corner of Bent and Farquhar Street on Tuesday last week to witness the planting of a new 'Lone Pine' tree.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The tree replaces the original Lone Pine planted in 1965, which had died and had to be removed.
The gathering included members of Wingham RSL Sub-branch headed by president Ron Irwin, Wingham High School principal Mark Thomson and two year 11 modern history students, Amber Hawkins and Darcy Byrne, and Greater Taree City Council parks and garden staff.
Sub-branch president Ron Irwin welcomed all and after relating the history of the Lone Pine, invited the school students to assist with the tree planting by placing the soil around it once it had been lowered into its new location by GTCC staff members.
World War 11 veteran and sub-branch member Allan Carlyle, who had been mayor of Wingham Municipal Council in 1965 when the first Lone Pine was planted, was one of the invited guests, along with Guy Watts and Eric Richardson OAM.
A photographic record was made of this important event and it is hoped that the tree will be nurtured and become an integral part of an ANZAC Place in Central Park in remembrance of those men and women who served this wonderful country of Australia and gave us the peace we enjoy today.
'Lest we forget.'