It began with a conversation by two local men in 1925. Edgar Gornall moved to O’Connell from Bathurst after serving in the Great War. He married Jenny McKenzie who owned the land adjacent to where we meet today.

The second local man was Allan Todd, from Wiseman’s Creek. He was 17 years old and was employed by Mrs Gornall to form a garden and driveway to the main road. Alan was interviewed in 2008, and, in part, this is what he said.

“…while we were working on that, Mr Gornall, being a returned soldier, had something on his mind. He came to me and said, ‘I think O’Connell should have a war memorial. We talked it over and I said, A dead memorial would be neglected, and I suggested an avenue of trees. He agreed to that straight away.”

The head gardener at Machattie Park said a Desert Ash would be suitable. The trees were grown at the Bathurst Experimental Farm for the Sydney Botanical Gardens and then supplied to the O’Connell Progress Association for planting. Alan was offered the job of administering the planting of the trees, and accepted, as long as Mr Gornall was appointed too.

In April 1925, the ladies organised the first social in aid of the Avenue in St Thomas Hall. Mrs Gornall and her partner won the chocolate waltz and donated the prize to the Avenue fund. The men had been hard at work, cutting and carting 300 poles for the tree guards. A series of dances, a radio ball and other functions were held for the ‘Memory Drive’.

In July 1925, the Bathurst Times reported that Oberon Shire Council had men at work ploughing and grading the road, preparing for the planting of the trees. By mid-November 1925, the Bathurst Times reported that half the Memorial Avenue was planted, netted and paid for. In early December, it was noted that the trees planted in the Memorial Avenue were ‘growing splendidly’.

When the first working bee was held, people turned up from far and wide. The women prepared a BBQ; the local butcher supplied the meat and the blacksmith agreed to sharpen everything needed to dig the holes. Condon’s Hotel sent a hamper down with scones, soft drinks and some bottles of beer.

The O’Connell Progress Association, headed at that time by Mr Gornall, was the chief force behind the Avenue events including an invitation to Lord Allenby to open the Avenue.

On Thursday 14th January 1926 the Avenue was officially opened by Field Marshall Edmund Allenby, a famous World War 1 British Commander. The National Advocate of January 21st, 1926, stated that:

“…when the memorial is an accomplished fact, O’Connell will have as tangible evidence of its gratitude and appreciation of the services rendered to the empire by men who fought and fell, an avenue of trees …that will be a thing of beauty and a joy to all beholders. It will add to the attractiveness of the township and, besides being a memorial to the soldiers, will represent a tribute to the energetic efforts of the local Progress Association and the admirable community spirit which brought it about”.

It also noted that:

‘’Lord Allenby, speaking in the simple, earnest tones of a man of action, made a brief reply. He said that he felt it a great honour to declare open an avenue dedicated to the memory of the gallant Australians who fell in the war. He had had the honour of leading many Australians and he never wished to lead braver troops. Their names would live for ever in the gallant deeds they had performed for the Empire, and it was fitting that their memory should be perpetuated by an avenue of that kind. As the trees flourished and grew larger in stature, he trusted that the memory of the men to whom they were dedicated would become greener and stronger and more firmly fixed in the minds of their fellow countrymen. I have great pleasure in declaring the avenue open”.

Lady Allenby cut the ribbon, and the Avenue was officially open to the public.

That same spirit remains today through the efforts of the Community Guardians of the O’Connell ANZAC Memorial Avenue and the O’Connell Valley Community Group.

The O’Connell ANZAC Memorial Avenue is listed in the following schedules:

• The O’Connell Heritage Conservation Area

• National Trust of Australia (NSW)

• Register of the National Estate

• Monument Australia

• Virtual War Memorial Australia

• Avenues of Honour

• NSW War Memorials Register, O’Connell First World War Memorial Drive