Stand the test of time

Magnificent trees define this Australian garden, with one estimated to be 300 years old

- CHRISTINE REID

Train services to Woodend in central Victoria, Australia began in 1861, not long after the first dazzling days of the 1850s gold rushes. Optimistic diggers, farmers and day-trippers converged on the town, the train engine's smoke and steam mixing with the clouds and mists that rolled down from the imposing bulk of nearby Mount Macedon.

Some of them would make their way to the top of the Mount, stopping and taking in the expansive view of the surrounding countryside; some would set off for a hike to the geological mystery that is Hanging Rock, and some would remain in the town enjoying the fresh air, seasonal changes in the developing gardens and the cooling breezes, especially in summer, away from the heat.

Over the following decades, hotels, boarding houses, tea rooms and cafes sprang up to cater for visitors to the area a trend that continues today. Following the devastation of the First World War, Woodend's patriotic citizens subscribed to a fund to establish an avenue of honour - just one of the hundreds planted around Victoria. In 2021, it is a magnificent stretch of oaks bordering the road on each side. Those citizens chose their planting well, selecting European trees that are suitable for Woodend's cool, well-watered climate. Today, John and Jenny Shaw live just a few metres from this majestic avenue.