Forest of Remembrance - RSL and Kindred Organisations Committee (KOC) Event

On Friday 12 November 2010, Chief Minister Jon Stanhope joined the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC, the President of the ACT Branch of the RSL Mr John King, and representatives of the RSL and kindred organisations, in planting 102 Turkish pines in a new forest at the National Arboretum Canberra.

The planting of the 102 Turkish pine, or Pinus brutia, commemorates the 102,814 service personnel who have sacrificed their lives while serving with Australian units in conflicts from 1860 to the present day.

List of participants (Excel 32KB) and location map of trees (PDF 1.05MB)

On 9 October 2011, an additional 5 Turkish pines (Pinus brutia) were planted in Forest 61 by:

Pat McCabe, President of the ACT Kindred Organisations Committee
Joan Scott, for her uncle, Thomas Ernest Davis (died at Lone Pine 2/5/1915)
John (Jack) Aaron from the Vietnam Veterans Federation
Danny Burton from the Vietnam Veterans Federation
Geoff Burns from the Submarine Association.

Location map for these 5 additional Turkish pines (PDF 933KB)

The Pinus brutia is native to the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, the site where the ANZAC tradition was born and where more than 8,700 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand service men lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign between April and December 1915.

The Pinus brutia forest will expand on the Pinus halepensis already planted at Dairy Farmer's Hill.

"Today we are here to add to the Pinus halepensis forest by planting 102 Pinus brutia and given the significance the events at Gallipoli have played in our country's history, it is only fitting that we are joined by members of the RSL and other ex-service organisations to assist with this planting," the Chief Minister said.

It was particularly poignant that the event took place on the day after Remembrance Day, the day Australians stop to remember all those who have paid the supreme sacrifice while serving our nation in all wars and conflicts.

For the almost 200 who were present on the day, it was a particularly moving experience. Many participants remarked that they were thrilled to be part of something that would continue to grow for many years while paying tribute to those who had died in the cause of freedom. Where war memorials were usually made of stone and metal, these trees would continue to be living memorials and serve as a reminder that so many died in defence of our country.