Lorne Victoria Australia

An Avenue of Honour for soldiers lost in World War One was constructed on the library paddock, now Stribling Reserve oval. An avenue of red gum trees was planted diagonally across the area to the cenotaph. The trees all had metal plaques on them listing the returned men, unfortunately none of these have been located. Thirty two students from Lorne School left their seaside town to serve in the First World War. Their service came at great personal cost, leaving lasting impacts on their health, wellbeing, and families.

1920s, Avenue of Honour, just below white mark. (LHS photo 5714)

On the 18th October 1921, The Birregurra Times reported that The fifty Red Flowering Gum Trees in the Avenue of Honour are looking well and making good growth. Many of the standards with brass plates in memory of Lorne men who made the supreme sacrifice are already in position, and it was expected that the few remaining ones would soon be erected as soon as the plates are forwarded from Melbourne. It was intended to plant the reserve with shade trees and plants, as suggested by the late Mr Cattani just previous to his decease and the Reverend Gates who had the design in hand. The trees appear to have been removed in the 1950s when the paddock was transformed into the Stribling Recreation Reserve.

Lorne Avenue of Honour Restablished

In 2025, Lorne School began a project to establish the Avenue of Honour on the grounds of Lorne School. The project was about honouring the health and wellbeing struggles of those who served, ensuring their sacrifices remain visible to future generations. It reconnected the community with its history, demonstrated to young people the enduring human cost of war, and strengthens intergenerational ties by providing a place where memory, wellbeing, and resilience come together in a shared act of respect. Lorne P-12 College students were at the centre of the project through their studies in history, environmental science, and design, they researched the lives of the servicemen, exploring how war shaped health and wellbeing, and applying their learning in practical, visible ways.

The Lost Lorne Avenue of Honour Project was a community-led initiative to restore this memorial and return it to its rightful place at the heart of Lorne’s history. The renewed avenue will serve not only as a site of remembrance, reflection, and pride, but also as a living classroom for today’s young people. Students, community members, the RSL, and local partners worked together to re-establish the avenue with native plantings, a stone seat, and interpretive signage that share the stories of each soldier.

Sources:

Lorne Historical Society collections
Lorne – A Living History by Doug Stirling
Cheri Osta, Lorne School, 2025