Created to honour fallen soldiers in World War One, the Legerwood Memorial Trees are a brilliant way to ensure their legacy remains remembered.
Following the end of World War One, many towns and cities in Australia chose to honour their fallen soldiers by planting trees to form avenues of remembrance. Planted during elaborate ceremonies, the families of dead soldiers placed trees as a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of their loved ones.
However, with time, the trees aged and became a hazard to people passing by. The thought of removing them and losing a link to the past was too much for the local community, so they came up with a unique solution. They engaged chainsaw artist Eddie Freeman to transform the trees into permanent memorials. Using historical photos of the soldiers, he sculpted the trees into wonderful artworks.
Not only do the sculptures show soldiers, but also depicts them in their civilian jobs, or with wives and fiancés. There are nine trees, in the park. They represent the seven men from the town killed in the conflict, one to remember the ANZACS and one to remember the sacrifice made at Gallipoli.
There is a plaque giving the history of the men at the base of each tree.
Getting There
Located just over an hour from Launceston along the Tasman Highway, Legerwood is easy to get to. Marked, appropriately by a sculpture, the turn-off is hard to miss. On street parking is available in the park, which also has toilet facilities and a barbeque area.
This way to Legerwood
The Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees
We spent a lot of time walking around the memorials, reading the histories of the soldiers. The sculptures are great and it was wonderful that the artist used photos of the men to create each piece of art, because each one looks individual.
Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees
A soldier on the Beach at Gallipoli Carrying an Ammunition Box and Billy Can
A Bugler at Lone Pine
Private John Henry McDougall
The Memorial to Private Robert James Jenkins
Private Robert James Jenkins
Private Thomas Edward Edwards, Goodbye With His Wife
Part of the Private Thomas Edward Edwards Memorial
Private William Henry Hyde
What Did We Think?
This was a great stop and a wonderful way to remember those who fought and died in the First World War. We loved walking around reading the men’s histories and admiring the sculptures.
A gold rush in the 1870s turned Hill End from a small rural village into one of the largest inland towns in New South Wales. When the boom finished, the town reverted back to a small village, however unlike other boom / bust towns many of the historic buildings remain. Now heritage listed, the town offers an insight into life in the 1870s, because of its preserved buildings and artefacts.
Located 75km south of Mudgee or 270km north-west of Sydney, Hill End is a great place to relax and enjoy some history. We enjoyed it here because of the many different things to can see and do. Not only are there buildings from the gold rush, but several interesting walks and museums.
Hill End Heritage Centre
Located in a 1950s Rural Fire Service shed next to the General Store, the Heritage Centre offers a self-guided tour of displays that detail the history of the town. The centre contains some excellent photos of life during the gold rush, as well as a model showing the town at its largest. Artefacts and a fire engine make this a great first stop to learn about Hill End.
The Old Rural Fire Service Shed Now the Heritage Centre
1942 Ford Blitz Fire Truck
Model of the Hill End Town
Gold Smelting Pots
Water Bottle
Old Photo of a Miner’s Cottage
Shops on the Main Street as They Used To Be
Hill End Historic Buildings
The heritage listed town contains many buildings dating from the 1870s gold rush period. Unlike other towns from this period, where old buildings were removed, many of Hill End’s buildings remain intact, giving a view back in time.
We walked through town on the afternoon we arrived and again the next morning, before other people were around. This let us enjoy the area both with and without other people around.
While wandering around, we found an old rusty car a petrol pumps, adding to the old feel of the town.
The Road Into Hill End
St Paul’s Presbyterian Church
Hosies Store
Old Building at Hill End
Beyers Cottage Hill End
Robert Northey’s General Grocer and Produce Store Hill End
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Great Western Store
Old Petrol Pumps
Rusty Car Wreck
Hill End War Memorial Machine Gun
History Hill Museum
Only a ten-minute drive from town, the History Hill Museum contains a huge collection of artefacts from the 1870s gold rush, which include a stamper battery crusher and a replica gold mine.
The collection includes everyday items used by people providing a great insight into ordinary life in the late nineteenth century. There is also what must be one of the largest collections of weighing scales anywhere. Scales formed an important part of the gold mining industry, ensuring that correct payment was made for gold mined.
The Chinese contribution to the area is highlighted, illustrating the diversity of people attracted to the area to mine gold.
Collections of fire arms, locks, porcelain and bottles add to the huge numbers of displays, that go well beyond the normal rocks and mining equipment that mining museums usually have.
Another great attraction at History Hill is the replica gold mine, which you walk through at your own pace. Being able to walk through a mine, even if a replica gives you a great idea of what mining was like here. The exit is fun, with seven lots of ladders to climb to the surface. Of course, if you don’t want to climb the ladders, you can return to the entrance instead. We really liked this!
Not the Entry
Pad Locks
Hand Guns
Collection of Scales
Tools in the Blacksmiths Shop
Gold Weighing Scales
Shackles
Poison Bottle Collection
Bottle Collection
China Collection
Stamping Crusher
Entry to the Son of Hope Mine
Ladders Leading Out of the Mine
Tunnel Inside the Mine
Tunnel Inside the Mine
Golden Gully Walking Track
The eroded banks of Golden Gully are unstable, so take care when walking, rock falls and wall collapses are common. Worked and re-worked by miners workings have become exposed due to erosion, making the landscape seem unreal. Staying to the centre of the gully, away from the walls, we were able to admire the landscape in safety.
Erosions has formed several interesting arches that reach across the gully, as well as several small tunnels running into the banks. These areas are very unstable, so use caution when looking at them.
Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
The Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
Under the Arch on the Golden Gully Walking Track
The Arch on the Return Trip
Small Tunnel
Small Tunnel on the Golden Gully Walking Track Hill End
Valentine Mine
Located a short drive from town, Valentines Mine, the headframe shows where the shaft drops 53 metres into the hill. Next to the shaft is an old stamper battery used to crush the ore removed from the mine.
Access along a dirt track was incredibly rough, although we only had a two-wheel drive vehicle. Recent rain had damaged the track and had it been any worse, we would not have driven it. However, once graded and repaired, the road will be good to drive on. Alternately, you can park your car and walk up to the mine shaft area.
Valentines Mine Shaft
Stamping Battery at Valentines Mine
Valentines Mine Stamping Battery Head
Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
A short drive past the Valentines Mine turn-off, a small car park marks the entrance to the roasting pits. Here, quartz roasting pits were established in 1855 and have become a significant insight into our nation’s beginnings and how the gold rush transformed the country.
The roasting pits are an interesting snapshot into quartz mining processes, where the ore was processed before crushing.
Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
Ruined Building Near the Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
Cornish Quartz Roasting Pits
What did We Think?
Hill End was a great place to visit, not only for the historic buildings, but also for several great walks and interesting museums. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and would do it again.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Civic Park is bordered by council buildings on one side and the art gallery and St Andrews Presbyterian Church on the other, while situated in the centre of the Newcastle CBD. A great place to relax, or take a casual walk around, because it’s quiet with plenty of places to sit.
Newcastle Town Hall From Civic Park
Captain Cook Memorial Fountain
Located as the centrepiece of Civic Park is the James Cook Memorial Fountain, built for the bicentenary of Cook’s voyage and mapping of the east coast of Australia. In 1770, Lieutenant (later captain) James Cook claimed the east coast for the British Crown, naming it New South Wales. This large water feature is a great place in summer, with seats located around it, and impressive at night when illuminated.
Captain Cook Memorial Fountain
War Memorial Grove
Developed from a community desire to honour servicemen and women killed during the world wars, the War Memorial Garden is in a corner of Civic Park, opposite the Art Gallery. Constructed from public and private funds, some of the money with some coming from families with relatives commemorated on each of the 68 plaques featured throughout the garden.
Volunteer members of the New Lambton Heights Garden Club undertook much of the work, a relationship which is continued today.
A quiet area for reflection, it’s worth wandering through to pay your respects.
Royal Australian Air Force Memorial
Vietnam Memorial
Navy Memorial
Memorial Plaques
War Memorial
The war memorial was originally dedicated to World War Two service personnel, but has since been re-dedicated to all wars Australia has been involved in. Ceremonies are held here throughout the year on relevant anniversaries, so there may be one happening when you visit.
Civic Park War Memorial
Vietnam and National Service Memorial
The Vietnam and National Service Memorial commemorates the soldiers killed during the Vietnam War. A brass plaque on the memorial provides a brief description of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The rear section of the memorial has a separate memorial to Australia’s National Service and Combined Forces personnel.
Vietnam War Memorial
Newcastle Art Gallery
Located above Civic Park on Layman Street, the Art Gallery often hosts exhibitions throughout the year. In addition, the Gallery owns an impressive collection of Australian paintings. To read more about our visit to the Newcastle Art Gallery, click here.
Newcastle Art Gallery Entrance
Baptist Tabernacle
Located above Civic Park the Baptist Tabernacle is an interesting building but is only open to the public during services.
Baptist Tabernacle
St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
Situated across the road from the Baptist Tabernacle, St Andrews is not always open, so you may have to appreciate this building from the outside. Even if it’s closed, the building is worth admiring for its architectural value.
St Andrews Presbyterian Church
Old Newcastle City Administration Centre The Roundhouse
Currently undergoing a redevelopment to a five star hotel, the old Newcastle Administration Centre originally opened in 1977. The design was a collaborative effort between Architects Romberg & Boyd and Wilson & Suters. The architectural style is Brutalist, for it’s striking design.
Newcastle Council Chambers
Newcastle City Hall
Built in 1929 to house the newly created Newcastle City Council, this beautiful building is now a multi-purpose Function/Conference venue. Located opposite Civic Park on King Street, the building is an example of Inter-War Academic Classical architecture.
Shortland Centenary Fountain
Erected in 1897 by the Mayor David Miller and originally located at Newcastle Beach, this fountain commemorates the centenary (1797-1897) of the European discovery of the area by Lieutenant Shortland. Removed from its original location, it is now located at Christie Park.
Shortland Centenary Fountain
What Did We think?
Newcastle Civic Park is a great place to visit, because of its many memorials and beautiful buildings. It’s a relaxing place to wander around, while enjoying the manicured gardens and visit the Art Gallery. When you have finished, Derby Street with its cafes and restaurants is right next door.
