Arborist engaged to check health of O'Connell's Anzac Memorial Drive

An avenue of desert ash trees that form the village's Anzac Memorial Drive will receive an important health check after the State Government committed $10,000 for the community group to seek expert help for the trees.

Lauren Trembath from the O'Connell Valley Community Group said the funding would enable arborists to be engaged to give the desert ash trees a check-up.

"Once their conditions has been determined, the trees will be pruned or replaced where needed," she said.

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Bathurst MP Paul Toole recently met members of the group to inform them of the good news of their successful application for the grant from the government's NSW Community War Memorials Fund.

"The work by the O'Connell Valley Community Group to conserve the O'Connell Memorial Drive is an important contribution to the state's war memorial heritage," Mr Toole said.

"The NSW Government appreciates the time and energy the group are devoting to ensure that the sacrifices of NSW servicemen and women are honoured."

The 95-year-old Anzac War Memorial Avenue is dedicated to the men and women from the local area who served their country during World War One.

The memorial avenue of trees was officially opened by Field Marshall Lord Allenby on January 25, 1926.

Local residents held dances and musical events to raise funds for the project which resulted in the planting of 120 desert ash trees which were grown at the Bathurst Experimental Farm for the Sydney Botanical Gardens who supplied the trees to the community working bees.

The avenue of trees faced the axe in 2009 as part of a planned roads upgrade but a committed campaign by local supporters forced a rethink from the state's roads officials.

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