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Meeniyan Honour Avenue
Whitelaw and Geale Streets MEENIYAN, South Gippsland Shire

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Statement of Significance

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What is Significant?
The Meeniyan Honour Avenue, planted in 1918 in Whitelaw and Geale Streets, Meeniyan.

Why is it Significant?
The Meeniyan Honour Avenue is of local historic, and aesthetic significance to the township and districts of Meeniyan and Stony Creek.

Historically, it is important as one of a series of similar memorial avenues that were established throughout the Shire following the planting of the Leongatha Memorial Avenue of Honour earlier in the same year, and expresses the significant effect that the First World War had upon small rural communities. (AHC criteria - A.4 and D.2) Aesthetically, the now mature avenue enhances the appearance and amenity of commercial centre of Meeniyan, and complements the setting of the World War 1 Soldiers Memorial, which was constructed five years later. It is also notable as a rare example of a World War 1 memorial avenue to use Australian native trees. (AHC criteria - B.2 and E.1)

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    • Physical Description 1

      Meeniyan Honour Avenue - Physical Description 1

      The Meeniyan Avenue of Honour predominantly comprises West Australian Flowering Gums, which are situated in Whitelaw Street (in the median strip in the commercial area, and also the nature strip on either side between McDonald and Royston Streets), and along the nature strip on either side of Geale Street.

      There is a gap in the Avenue in Whitelaw Street between the two groups of trees, which suggests that some intervening trees have been removed.

      Physical Description 2

      Meeniyan Honour Avenue - Physical Description 2

      Style

      Honour Avenue

      Historical Australian Themes

      Meeniyan Honour Avenue - Historical Australian Themes

      Thematic Context

      Government + Community Institutions

      Sub-Themes

      Military Defence

      Veterans Description for Public

      Meeniyan Honour Avenue - Veterans Description for Public

      The Meeniyan Avenue of Honour, on Whitelaw and Geale Streets, was planted to commemorate the First World War. The Avenue was planted by local school children on Wednesday, August 14th 1918, which had name tags attached to honour local residents from the Meeniyan and Stony Creek districts who served.

      The establishment of the avenue was discussed at a meeting held on July 31st 1918, which was chaired by Mr TA Welshford, with Mr WJ Farrell as secretary. It was decided at this meeting that West Australian Flowering Gums would be planted in Whitelaw Street, up to the top of the hill in Geale Street, and also in George Street to Railway Crescent. Following the meeting, a notice inviting people to participate in the establishment of the Meeniyan Honour Avenue appeared in the "Great Southern Star" on August 13th 1918.

      The establishment of the Meeniyan Avenue of Honour followed the successful establishment of the Leongatha Avenue of Honour in June of that year, and happened at about the same time as the planting of similar memorial avenues within the then Shire of Woorayl at Koorooman, Nerrena and Wooreen. The Meeniyan Avenue is locally rare amongst the avenues established at this time for using Australian native trees, rather the exotic English trees that were predominantly used elsewhere. The only other example in the Shire using native planting is the Toora Honour Avenue.

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      South Gippsland - South Gippsland Heritage Study

      Author: David Helms with Trevor Westmore
      Year: 2004
      Grading:

Public contributions

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