Two men dressed in high-visibility work clothing holding shovels and moving loose soil around a newly dug hole. A young tree stands in the hole central to the image.

NEWLY PLANTED: Council staff planted the trees earlier this week. The saplings will soon grow leaves and secure roots in the new location.

Parks & Recreation

Avenue of trees planted in honour of Presentation Sisters Wagga Wagga

Published: 16 May 2024 11:00am

To bring colourful shades of red and green, 93 Claret Ash trees now adorn the sides of Bourke Street, stretching from Redhill Road to Holbrook Road.

The avenue of trees was planted along Bourke Street this week by Wagga Wagga City Council crews in commemoration of the 150^th Anniversary of the arrival of the Presentation Sisters in the region.

The concept for the tree avenue was proposed by the group and approved by Council at the 11 March 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting.

The Presentation Sisters contributed $14,762 to the initiative, with Council contributing to the tree planting, two summers of watering, and remaining costs.

The anniversary honours the arrival of the first five Sisters from Ireland in 1874, with the chosen locating marking the route taken when the small band of nuns first made the journey from Mangoplah to Wagga Wagga to provide Catholic education in the region.

Council was proud to support the initiative as a means of expressing the community's deep respect and gratitude for the work the Presentation Sisters have put into Wagga Wagga and surrounding villages.

Indeed, several schools within our Local Government Area and the wider Riverina are still standing strong after their initial foundation by the order.

You can read more about the Presentation Sister via their website.