History of Kurrajong Parade

Kurrajong Parade is located along the Glen Innes Road/Gwydir Highway between Clive Street and the Inverell Sporties (Previously East Bowling Club).

This area has a long and proud history of honouring those soldiers from the Inverell District who were killed in action in WWI.

Background

At a Municipal Council meeting on 9 April 1919, Alderman McIlveen moved the following motions:

1. That to commemorate the names of Inverell soldiers killed in action during the War, that section of the Glen Innes Road from the Tingha crossing to Albion Hill be planted with Kurrajong trees, one for each fallen soldier.
2. That this section be called ‘The Kurrajong Parade’.
3. That the Parks Committee be instructed to arrange the order of planting, and to take steps to have the preparatory work put in hand at once.
4. That a day be set apart for the planting of the trees, and that the relatives of the fallen soldiers be invited to assist thereat.

On 6 September 1919, the first of 215 Kurrajong trees were planted in the park along Glen Innes Road in memory of the men from the Inverell district who lost their lives during World War 1.

The Council asked people to nominate the name of a fallen soldier for the tree planting, and the number of trees planted was well below the actual numbers of those who died, being approximately 300 men from the district who died during the War.

Starting at The Knoll (Clive Street), the avenue of trees was placed down towards the Tingha Road Bridge.  They were provided by the Government, although reportedly some were in poor condition and did not survive the first year.

During October 1926, thirty one replacements were planted and in 1929 the Council, at the request of the RSL, replaced another thirty seven.  Many of the trees were cared for by family members of those soldiers who had died.

By February 1940 discussions were taking place regarding transplanting some of the Kurrajong trees to Swanbrook road.

The Inverell Times Wednesday 1 October 1941, page 6, reported that at the Municipal Council meeting on 30 September, the Mayor (Ald. L.J. Cloonan) stated ‘that twenty two Kurrajongs from the Memorial Parade had been replanted in Swanbrook Road’ and that ‘the full number would be replated over a period of three years’.  Plots had been well prepared and the trees were all well watered. ‘One spare tree was planted in Brae Street to complete a line of trees’.

Today, a few Kurrajong trees can still be seen along Swanbrook Road between Evans and Ross Streets.  Presumably these are the remains of the twenty two memorial trees removed to this site.

The Parade Now

Kurrajong Parade now houses a variety of monuments and memorial features to commemorate local soldiers including:

The Kurrajong Memorial is also listed on the NSW War Memorials Register.

On 28 Feb 2016, the Kurrajong Re-enactment Committee planted two new Kurrajong trees to honour the fallen and also commemorate the Centenary of the departure from Inverell of the Second Kurrajongs contingent.

Further information can be found on the Inverell Remembers website.

Experience the Parade

Kurrajong Parade and its significance as a place of remembrance can be enjoyed by all with parking and pathways accessible from Glen Innes Road and Clive Street.  Council highly recommends this area to locals and visitors who wish to remember the local fallen and enjoy a picturesque location to rest and reflect.