Lone pine stands in way of Woolworths

John Van Klaveren
GEELONG would be the first city in Australia to destroy a memorial lone pine if a proposed retail development goes ahead in the city’s north, according to Legacy.
The organisation, which supports the dependents of dead servicemen, is battling to save the tree on the former Geelong Golf Club site.
Legacy Geelong’s John Burton said loss of the tree for a Woolworths development would leave members “devastated”.
“We’re extremely upset about the tree being bulldozed. This tree is sacred to us,” Mr Burton said.
The tree stands on part of the course included in Woolworths’ plan for a bulk retailing complex. State Planning Minister Justin Madden is considering the company’s application for the project.
Mr Burton said the lone pine was now about five metres tall and too large for removal and replanting.
Legacy planted the tree in 1994 during the club’s centenary to remember the region’s war dead. The tree was also a thank-you to the club for raising thousands of dollars in an annual tournament.
Mr Burton said someone had ripped a plaque off a large rock at the base of the tree.
Legacy Geelong resolved at its board meeting this week to write to Mr Justin Madden about the tree on behalf of the region’s 2000 war widows and their children.
“We’re writing to him to try saving the tree,” Mr Burton said.
“We’re also writing to all the war widows we still support and asking them to write to Mr Madden as well.”
Mr Burton said course owner Links Investco, which has locked up the former course, claimed to have sent an arborist to the site but could not locate the lone pine.
“I was surprised to see that – the pine is close to a gum tree given to the club by the State Government to mark the club’s centenary.”
The history of the lone pine began with an unknown sergeant who took a cone with him from Gallipoli, later giving it to an aunt who lived at Grassmere near Warrnambool. The aunt planted the cone seeds, with the resultant tree providing seeds for all following lone pines in Australia.
Legacy Australia’s John Pepperdine said the national body backed the campaign to save the tree.
Geelong RSL sub-branch president Rodney Meeke said his organisation also opposed removal of the tree.
“It was planted there as a mark of respect for veterans and even though the Geelong golf club situation is now different we would not want it damaged or destroyed.
“Our commemorative committee will meet to look at what action we take and what is required to save it.”
Woolworths spokesman Benedict Brook said the company was taking the situation seriously with professional assessment of the tree’s species and history.
“We will liaise with Legacy and historical organisations as part of that assessment.”
Links Investco spokesman Ron Smith said Mr Madden’s advisory committee was responsible for assessing “all matters” related to the site.