Seedlings descended from the original Gallipoli Lone pine were presented to Hawkeʼs Bay Regional Council (HBRC) by SCION. HBRC will in turn present a tree to the Napier RSA. Source: Hawke’s Bay (NZ)
The seedlings are the direct descendants of the original ʻLone Pineʼ, a Turkish red pine that was blasted to bits in the Battle of Lone Pine in August 1915. This was a major Australian battle that was planned as a diversion for the bigger battle at
Chunuk Bair involving New Zealand troops.
Following the battle, a pinecone from the Gallipoli tree was sent back to Australia by Sergeant Keith McDowall and 12 years later was propagated by his mother.
Most pines planted at war memorials in New Zealand are not lone pines but a range of pine species, often Aleppo pine (a species found at Gallipoli) pinus radiata and others.
Recently, the RSL propagated over 1000 seedlings from the pinus brutia tree in Melbourne for RSL organisations and schools throughout Australia to plant as memorial trees.
HBRC land services adviser Joe Devonport thought the same could be done in Hawkeʼs Bay to commemorate the 100 year anniversary in 2015 of the Gallipoli landings with an authentic descendent of the Gallipoli Lone Pine.
Hawkeʼs Bay Regional Council will plant four of the seedlings at country parks, and two seedlings will go to RSAs in the region who have agreed to plant these.
SCION is keeping another two plants for their arboretum and possible further breeding.
