Heroes AvenuePrint Page

Bottle trees were planted to form a living tribute called Heroes Avenue to commemorate those who died in service or were killed in action in World War One.

Each tree originally bore a brass plaque stating the name of one of the 93 local men.  Only one of these plaques survives, now on a cairn which was dedicated by the Roma RSL sub-branch on Remembrance Day, 1983. The cairn is located outside the Post Office near the corner of McDowell and Wyndham Streets.

The avenue of trees begins at The Railway Station, turns right into Wyndham Street and left into Bungil Street ending just after the intersection with Hawthorne Street. There are over 90 trees, all of which are bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestre).

A tree commemorating Lance Corporal Norman Saunders, who was killed in France in 1916 during World War One was the first of the 93 bottle trees planted and is at the site of the cairn. 

There was a large gathering in Wyndham Street on the 19th September 1918 when the first trees in Heroes Avenue were planted. The Mayor of Roma, Alderman Miscamble, explained the object of the gathering and 27 trees were to be planted in honour of the boys who had attended the local state school. The first tree was planted in memory of Norman Saunders by the Mayor and Mrs Spence at Post Office Corner. While planting a tree in front of the school in memory of a teacher Lieutenant G.J.Shepherd, the children sang "God Speed the Right " very impressively indeed.  Mr C.D. O'Brien referred to the fact that some people said Australia became a nation when the States formed into the Commonwealth while others said Australia rose to nationhood on the 25th April 1915, at Gallipoli.
Western Star and Roma Advertiser (Toowoomba),
21st September 1918.

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