The Freedom TreePrint Page 
The sculpture of a tree with photographs of service personnel commemorates those from Surat who have served in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved.
The Freedom Tree was relocated from the former RSL sub-branch building in Burrowes Street to the Memorial Park in 2015.
The RSL operated from 1920, and the sub-branch building was passed to the Warroo Shire Council in 1994.
Location
| Address: | Marcus & Charlotte Streets, Memorial Park, Surat, 4417 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.151482 Long: 149.070278 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | Multiple |
Dedication
The Freedom Tree
The Freedom Tree is a community memorial dedicated to honour the gallant young men and women from Surat, who enlisted in any theatre of war. It was inspired by a poem called "They Fought To Keep Me Free", written by local devoted RSL supporter Jillian Ward, who then collected the soldiers` photographs.
The tree`s photographic panels represent sections of leaves and the design allows the panels to move and shimmer in the sun, as many eucalypt tree leaves do. The solid outline serves to envelop the servicemen and servicewomen, and is presented in bright blue to resonate the RSL`s implication of a willingness to render assistance to any fellow servicemen and servicewomen under the blue sky.
A verse from "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon famously known as "The Ode" is described as at the heart of all rites of the RSL". This verse was chosen to outline the canopy of the tree as a constant surrounding tribute to the soldiers.
