Lone pine planted at Tom Price memorial

A lone pine tree has been planted at Tom Price’s war memorial courtesy of a three year effort from a local family.

The tree was a long term project from former resident Ryan Coon and his South Australian parents Christine and Ken Melville.

Purchased in 2014 from the Australian War Memorial nursery in Canberra, the seedling was transported to South Australia where it was cared for by Mrs Melville for the three years.

Once the sapling was deemed strong enough for the next leg of its journey, the young tree made its way across the Nullabor on the dash and floor of the Melville’s Hino bus.

Mr Coon and his mum coordinated quarantine and customs to ensure the sapling was safely delivered into Western Australia and then up to the Pilbara as quickly as possible.

Once in Tom Price, the tree was acclimatised to the Pilbara and spent a few months by the pool in Mr Coon’s back yard.

The Shire of Ashburton’s grounds crew then nurtured the tree for a further two months until it was given the all clear for planting at the RSL Memorial Park.

Mr Coon recently moved back to South Australia with his family for a FIFO role with Rio Tinto.

A Shire of Ashburton spokeswoman said the ‘extraordinary gift’ would enhance the town’s ANZAC commemorations.

The Lone Pine tree commemorates the battle won at Lone Pine Ridge in 1915, though not without a significant loss of life.

After the capture of the Lone Pine ridge in Gallipoli, an Australian Soldier who had taken part in the battle, in which his brother was killed, found a cone and sent it home to his mother.

From seed she raised a tree which was then presented to be planted in the War Memorial grounds in honour of her own and others sons who fell at Lone Pine.

The Yarralumla Nursery in Canberra began collecting and propagating seeds from the tree in the late 1940’s and since then many seedlings have been distributed for commemorative purposes.