Our splendid autumn colours are a great magnet for tourists and the planting project spearheaded by the late Bob Crothers to beautify the median strip on the southern highway approach to Glen Innes is much admired.
One of many prior beautification schemes was ‘Menzies Avenue’.
On August 24, 1935, the Glen Innes Examiner wrote “With the completion of the planting of trees at the South Park, Town Tennis Club and Grafton Road work will now commence at the Railway Station, an additional step in the campaign of the Town Beautification Committee”.
Harold C Menzies had ‘fostered the suggestion’ of this project.
Over two days residents planted an avenue of a row of Pinus insignus flanked by rows of Cupressus lambertiana on the northwestern side of the station.
Council gardener Mr Trevor and the unemployed had cultivated a strip 210 by 10 yards for the 89 trees.
Mr Austin Cassidy was the first to plant.
In 1951 Saturday, 22 September saw the start of an avenue of 89 trees from Lambeth to Grey Street along Wentworth Street, as reported by the Glen Innes Examiner:
…”More than 70 people including representatives from most town and district organisations saw the Revd. JM McDonald dedicate three trees in front of the CWA Mountain Home. The Mayor Ald. FW Buddee, RSL sub-branch president Mr CB Middleton and the CWA branch president Mrs AB Streeter each planted a tree.
“All the 89 trees in the avenue will be dedicated to the memory of heroes, pioneers and distinguished citizens of Glen Innes. The varieties to be planted are Crataegus Cordata and Silver Birch…plaques suitably inscribed will be attached to each tree. Dr Buddee said that Wentworth Street was very suitable…in that it was the front door to Glen Innes and already named after a distinguished Australian…[it] may well be considered part of our Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations as our Governor General the Hon Mr McKell has coined a phrase for the occasion – ‘Plant a Tree for Jubilee’”.
Although many trees may be missing or not be the same, & some kerb plaques have disappeared, a walk along Wentworth Street can be an evocative historic ramble.
