A new Avenue of Honour lined with eucalypts will mark the significant contribution the small rural village of Coimadai made to World War I.
An unveiling ceremony for the new avenue was held last Saturday to pay tribute to 129 World War I servicemen and women who signed up from the township of just 326 in 1914.
Many of those volunteers never returned and an Avenue of Honour was planted in 1918, only for those trees to be lost over almost a century. It is now submerged under Merrimu Reservoir.
More than 400 people turned out to see Veterans Affairs minister Senator Michael Ronaldson unveil the bigger and better Avenue of Honour planted with 129 eucalypts trees.
Horse-drawn carts took to the streets, 32 local children laid wreaths and flags were raised as a brass band played early 1900s music.
Coimadai Avenue of Honour Restoration Association was formed two years ago with the aim of bringing the avenue back to its former glory.
The group also relocated the war memorial to Diggers Rest-Coimadai Road and created a picnic ground/reserve area around it.
Bacchus Marsh resident Neil Campbell’s late father and uncle, Archibald Campbell and John Campbell, are named on the Coimadai war memorial.
“It was a nice day for me and very sentimental,” he said.
“They’ve done a fantastic job and it means a lot for me because that’s my father and my uncle up there. What more can you ask for?”
