A significant Lone Pine tree tracing back to the Gallipoli 1915 military campaign has been removed by Greater Dandenong Council.
The tree in a council-owned memorial garden in front of the Noble Park RSL was seen during the Anzac Day ceremony this year.
However in June, the council assessed the tree as dead and removed the speciment.
Noble Park RSL affiliate member Gaye Guest, in noticing the tree’s absence, began questioning community members for answers.
It wasn’t until the Noble Park RSL’s half yearly meeting over the past weekend that the issue was formally raised.
“To my amazement, the reply came back to those present at the meeting, that Noble Park RSL was not even consulted about the tree’s removal and they have no idea if and when it will be replaced,” Ms Guest said.
“We can’t keep cutting down trees – it was bad enough we lost the significant river red gum (in Douglas Street, Noble Park) and now at Dandenong Oasis.
“It’s a significant tree from our war history and I think people will be alarmed to know it was cut down for whatever reason and the fact there was no consultation.”
A Lone Pine is a descendant of a single Turkish Pine (Pinus brutia) that stood on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey and derived its name from the Battle of Lone Pine in 1915, a pivotal but bloody engagement of World War I.
After the battle on the ridges of Plateau 400, only one Turkish Pine tree remained.
An Anzac Sargent Keith McDowell collected a cone from this tree and returned to Australia with them.
Seedlings were raised from this cone and grown to full trees, and a now a second generation of seedlings is being grown and planted.
The lone pine became a powerful symbol of Australian and Turkish soldiers’ courage and resilience amidst intense fighting.
Greater Dandenong Council confirmed the Lone pine tree (Pinus brutia) was removed in June this year.
Council’s city futures executive director, Sanjay Manivasagasivam says the RSL and surrounding residents were notified of the pending removal.
“Council was closely monitoring the health and condition of the tree over the past two years. After several inspections this year, the tree was found to have died and required removal,” he said.
“Council is aware of the significance of the tree and is currently working with industry to secure a suitable replacement.”
Noble Park RSL’s manager Mark Wilkinson said they had no idea the tree was gone until Ms Guest raised the question.
The tree, located on council land, is maintained by the council.
He remembers council staff tending to the tree thinking it was a regular maintenance job.
“I saw some work and wasn’t sure what they were doing.
“On that particular day they took that tree away apparently. I wasn’t informed until one of the members noticed. That’s all we knew if it.
“Generally, the council is very good in corresponding with us.
“Unfortunately it’s not our land so it’s not our decision on what comes and goes, unless we get any input.”
Friends of Gallipoli a non-political and religious not-for-profit organisation based in Victoria run the 100 Lone Pine project led by Dr John Basarin OAM its chairman.
The organisation also offers ongoing cultivation and distribution of lone pine saplings focused on education, historical preservation and unity.
The objective of this project is to commemorate the ANZAC spirit, and to celebrate the Centenary of the Republic of Turkey in 2023, whose first President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the commander facing the Anzacs at Gallipoli.
