General News
24 February, 2023
Spruce Up of Dimboola War Memorials
Submitted by RSL Dimboola Sub-branch Dedicated members of the RSL Dimboola sub-branch have spruced up the Dimboola Anzac Centenary Garden and Avenue of Honour. The exercise comprised a thorough clean-out of all forms of weeds and plants deemed no...
Submitted by RSL Dimboola Sub-branch
Dedicated members of the RSL Dimboola sub-branch have spruced up the Dimboola Anzac Centenary Garden and Avenue of Honour.
The exercise comprised a thorough clean-out of all forms of weeds and plants deemed no longer suitable, plus pruning and shaping where necessary of the avenue's younger trees.
Members approached the task with the scientific definition of a weed in mind: "a plant growing out of place or in a place/location where it is not required/desired/wanted, usually growing in competition with cultivated/desired plants".
Last October a "weeding bee" in the Anzac Centenary Garden turned into a mammoth effort.
The volunteers were faced with both an increase in the common Wimmera weeds and an invasion of gazanias (African daisies) due to the region's above-average yearly rainfall.
Realistically, the amount of work required to maintain the garden at the main entrance to the war memorial and Dimboola Memorial Secondary College (DMSC) had to be simplified.
The aim was to make future management much easier, less physical and less time-intensive.
The Avenue of Honour also required considerable tidying at ground level.
The RSL considered it was both most important and respectful to keep this special area looking respectable to honour Dimboola’s own for their war service.
To achieve the objective it was decided that “scorched earth” would be the best approach.
The project was broken into three stages:
* Stage 1 – Anzac Centenary Garden: remove all plants, except the established shrubs and trees, and surround with a protective barrier; cover the bared area with weed mat and add a protective barrier along the path, kerb and fence; spread a thick layer of tree-material mulch over the top; plant drought-tolerant, hardy shrub species in mid-autumn this year
* Stage 2 – oval side of Avenue of Honour: prune trees where required; clean out all weed growth and follow up with spraying after next rain
* Stage 3 – east side of Avenue of Honour: same as stage 2 but with perennial bulbs as the only plants retained.
Carting away and disposing of the weeds harvested was a big task in each stage.
One of the critical steps was removing the gazanias and inhibiting their return to prevent any possible encroachment onto the school oval.
Much was achieved in the last week of December and in mid-January.
Brian Bosworth and Charles Rees said they were most satisfied with the work carried out under trying circumstances, both weather-wise and physically.
The pair joked that they were looking for their younger selves.
DMSC principal Sally Klinge had a huge smile on her face as a result of the men’s gallant efforts (and might still have to this day).
DMSC will commemorate its centenary this year in two capacities: as a school of secondary education and as Dimboola’s dedicated war memorial.
The Anzac Centenary Garden and Avenue of Honour are special features of DMSC as a Dimboola landmark, making it especially important that tidying-up be ongoing in order to preserve this significant place.