Local news for local people
Centennial Ceremony of the ANZAC Memorial Avenue of Trees at O'Connell
March 26, 2026
Report by Ian Manton,
Chairperson
O'Connell Valley
Community Group Inc
Sunday March 15, 2026.
In the same way that the launch of this auspicious avenue of towering trees was celebrated in 1926 by many members of the local community - as Field Marshal The Right Honourable Edmund Allenby, commander of Australian forces in Palestine, cut the ribbon - it also attracted a large crowd of supporters for its 100th anniversary.
People of all ages were there from preschoolers and students to
families and veterans.
The ceremony was organised by the O'Connell Valley Community Group with a support network including Oberon Council and local RSL Sub-branches.
Special guests included Lieutenant Colonel Scott Ferguson, Commanding Officer of the 1/19th Battalion, Royal NSW Regiment, his Regimental Sergeant Major, WO1 Luke Dancey, Federal member for Calare, the Honourable Andrew Gee MP, and NSW member for Bathurst, the Honourable Paul Toole MP. Anglican Archdeacon Tim St. Quintin, a former Defence Force member who now serves as an Army chaplain, read prayers for the fallen, for peace and for the commemorative granite rock with its brass plaque recording the day's event. The Master of Ceremonies was Barry Parsons, President of the Bathurst RSL sub-branch.
Students from O'Connell Public School stood alongside coloured
banners displaying the names of locals who served in WW1 and as they
read out the names it was obvious that a number of them didn't
return home. This was a sobering moment in what was a very
respectful remembrance of past sacrifices made and the need to
preserve freedom and peace in our modern times.
The event began with a parade through the Avenue under the canopy of the century-old Desert Ash trees led by Australian Light Horse re-enactment riders and local Australian Air Force Cadets who formed the catafalque and colour parties.
The ceremony was held at the O'Connell Recreation Ground where the stage was flanked by the Bathurst City & RSL Band, the rock, a semicircle of interpretive signs explaining the history of the Avenue, a flagpole bearing the Australian flag at half mast, the named banners, and hundreds of onlookers.
As well as commemorative addresses presented by the dignitaries, the morning included the mandatory Battle Hymn, Ode, Last Post, Reveille and wreath laying. Some wreaths were laid by descendants of the original ANZACs. The rock was unveiled, a new Desert Oak tree (the same type as the Avenue) was planted, and an era-appropriate Tiger Moth biplane performed a fly past.
The slide show below captures some of the activity on the day. It includes photos supplied by Andrew Gee MP, Councillor Helen Hayden, Jennifer Prescians and others who could not be identified.
Photos supplied
