Soldiers Memorial AvenuePrint Page

The Soldiers Memorial Avenue forms part of the Queens Domain in Hobart Tasmania. It comprises 513 trees planted in 1918 and 1919 to commemorate soldiers, mainly from Hobart, who died in service or were killed in action in World War One.

The War Memorial Committee in 1920 had decided that any Hobart war memorial had to be adjacent to the Avenue.  The original planned site for the memorial had been on Blundstone's Flat on the first major bend of the Avenue.  The current site became available in 1924 - 20 trees were planted as the Soldiers Memorial Avenue Extension to fulfill the promise. Most of these trees disappeared in successive redevelopments of the precinct in the 1950s and 1960s.

The greatest loss of trees on the Avenue resulted from the decision to place a “temporary” tip at the northern end of the Avenue in 1960. Despite protest, the decision was implemented and over 80 trees were bulldozed. In part it seems the decision was influenced by the Education department pushing for the creation of new sports grounds accessible from local schools. Initially the Department was to pay part of the cost but there was certainly some dispute about funding at the time. The present Cross Roads cricket and soccer grounds (the larger oval) was subsequently built on the site. A small remnant of the Avenue exists hidden in the copse of she oaks at the Cross Roads.

In 2008 The Soldiers Memorial Avenue at the Queen`s Domain in Hobart was extended to include 52 new plaques. The unveiling of new plaques in their memory took place at a ceremony to celebrate the Avenue`s 90th anniversary.

A working bee took place on Saturday afternoon in the Domain when about 600 civilians and soldiers started digging the holes for a memorial avenue of 317 trees to be planted on July 27 in memory of the men and officers belonging to the municipality of Hobart who have fallen in the war. The trees will be two year old cedars and each tree will have a metal tag bearing the name and particulars of a fallen soldier. The Governor and many prominent citizens were present. One hundred additional trees were planted in the Domain on the 15th February 1919.
Examiner (Launceston), 24th June 1918, 17th February 1919

Note : the “Tasmanian War Memorials Data Base” , compiled by Fred Thornett which is located at the State Library of Tasmania, contains a comprehensive listing of the names in this avenue of honour.

Names of Soldiers

Location

Details

Dedication