Oak a lasting tribute

Warragul & Drouin Gazette, May 5, 2015

The Anzac centenary will hold special significance for years to come at St Joseph’s Primary School in Warragul.

St Joseph’s was one of 500 primary schools that participated in the National Trust’s Gallipoli oaks project to plant a special oak tree within the school grounds last Friday.

National Trust’s Anna Foley said at the core of the project was the story of how a young Australian soldier, Captain Winter Cooke, from Murbdal, noticed some unusual holly bushes that had acorns like oak trees while stationed at Gallipoli.

His uncle in Hamilton was a bit of a tree enthusiast so sent a package of acorns to him from Gallipoli almost 100 years ago.

St Joseph’s planted seedlings that are direct descendants of those acorns from Gallipoli and in doing so now has a direct link to the environment that the soldiers endured during the campaign.

St Joseph’s school leaders Jaime Earles and Isaac Shelton with the Gallipoli oak planted on Anzac eve in the school grounds.