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Lone Pine Peace Park Print Page 
The Lone Pine Peace Park commemorates the centenary of the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landings at Gallipoli in Turkey in April 1915 and those who served in World War One.
Funding of $7572 was received in 2018 through the Armistice Centenary Grants Program to erect a sandstone memorial within the park.
The inaugural Australian IIPT – International Institute for Peace through Tourism Peace Park, was commemorated this past April at Leura in the Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia.
His Excellency Mr. Reha Keskintepe, Ambassador of Turkey, and Mark Greenhill, Mayor Blue Mountains City Council dedicated the Lone Pine Peace Park which coincided with the “Great Gathering of Peace, Friendship and Understanding in Istanbul, marking the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign of WW1 and a call for peace across all nations.”
The initiative of IIPT with the Blue Mountains City Council and Central Blue Mountains Rotary saw the establishment of the Lone Pine Peace Park located within the Gordon Falls Reserve, Leura and part of the UNESCO Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
Gail Parsonage President of IIPT Australia said that the “Lone Pine Peace Park, becomes the first IIPT Peace Park in Australia and joins the Global network of Peace Parks and Peace Cities/Towns/Villages which IIPT International have initiated .”
“We hope that more regions and towns with tourism interests will take up the invitation and be part of the program which encourages the Tourism Industry to create a “Culture of Peace” and for all travellers to be Peace Ambassadors.”
Over 200 persons were in attendance for the dedication which included the Australian Army “Catafalque Party”, a welcome by the Indigenous Elder, and speeches by Mark Greenhill, Mayor, Blue Mountains, and Amb. Reha Keskintepe, Ambassador of Turkey. The ceremony included the unveiling of two plaques and the planting of two Lone Pine trees, symbolic of the ANZAC/Turkey, WWI Gallipoli campaign and in keeping with the tradition of tree planting for our Peace Parks.
International Institute for Peace through Tourism.
Lone Pine Peace Park at Leura has been given a spruce up for the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One.
Red Cross and the Rotary Club of Central Blue Mountains have combined to make some improvements to honour the park, which features a Lone Pine planted in 1919.
A new cross-shaped garden bed has been created near the entry gates. It has been planted with Red Cross roses to commemorate the women from Australia who served with the Red Cross during World War One. Twenty seven Red Cross women from the Mountains went to battlefields in 1914-1918. Three did not return.
An additional plaque will be placed near the original Pinus halepensis, noting it was grown from a seed from Lone Pine Hill at Gallipoli.
The new additions and other significant areas of the park will be outlined on a map at the Balmoral Road stone gates, which were initiated by Mayor Charles Dash around 1919-21.
Among the features pointed out are the Armistice Day commemorative lettered steps and the Gordon Reserve, named for General Gordon of Khartoum.
Blue Mountains Gazette, 5 November 2018.
Location
| Address: | Lone Pine Avenue & Balmoral Road, Leura, 2780 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.719581 Long: 150.331453 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Park |
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| Monument Theme: | Conflict |
| Sub-Theme: | WW1 |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 25-April-1915 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 25-April-2015 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 18th April, 2015 |
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Plaque :
Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There in no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours...
You, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears ;
Your sons are now living in our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.
Ataturk, 1934
Plaque :
Lone Pine Handshake for Peace
18th April 2015
His Excellency, Mr Reha Keskintepe Ambassador of Turkey
Mr Brian Turner RFD President Katoomba R.S.L.
Mr Allan Byrnes President Central Blue Rotary
Mr Phil Hammon, Mr Tom Colless. Benefactors
In the presence of
Mr Mark Greenhill Mayor Blue Mountains City Council
Assembled Local School Students & Residents
Plaque :
His Excellency, Mr Reha Keskintepe Ambassador of Turkey dedicated this reserve as the Lone Pine Peace Park on 18 April, 2015.
The dedication coincided with the Great Gathering of Peace, Friendship and Understanding in Istanbul on the same day,
marking the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign of WW1 and wishing for peace across all nations.
Part of the Global International Institute for Peace through Tourism & SKAL International Peace Parks
