St Augustine’s students hold rosemary to the sky for remembrance

These ceremonies conducted at St Augustine’s College and Kyabram P-12 College in front of their respective Lone Pine trees, honour the soldiers who lost lives on Turkish soil, standing before the descendants of those very trees. The events aim to pass on the legacy of these fallen soldiers to the next generation.

Each ceremony also paid tribute to Robert Drysdale, affectionately known as Lone Pine Bob, for his role in acquiring and planting the Aleppo pine seeds that have since grown into the large pines that stand today.

It’s not every day you see students holding stems of rosemary high in the blue sky, but at St Augustine’s College Lone Pine ceremony, it held immense significance.

St Augustine’s College students, staff and special visitors gathered under the shade of the Aleppo tree on Wednesday, September 4 for a ceremony to renew guardianship of the Lone Pine trees for another year.

When the school captains rose from their seats to deliver their speeches, rustles of anticipation from students were heard across the hushed audience, filled with Legacy members, dignitaries, and staff.

It was not until captain Ethan Ciaverella spoke that the reason for the hushed voices was revealed, when around 50 hands soared to the sky, each holding a single sprig of rosemary.

The simple sprig of rosemary, explained by Ethan, is an ancient symbol of the remembrance of fidelity.

It is a fitting symbol for the ceremony, as once worn by soldiers in World War I, is now a promise made by the students to honour and commemorate those very soldiers.

“The scent of rosemary evokes memories of courage, sacrifice and resilience - qualities that define the spirit of our service men and women,” Ethan said.

Significantly, the theme of commemorating the spirit of the soldiers continued when principal Jay Sutton stepped forward to accept guardianship of the Lone Pine from Legacy chair Peter Fitzgerald.

In his speech, he spoke about the importance of guardianship, and how imperative it is that future generations learn the significance of the history behind the Lone Pines.

“It’s not just about looking after the tree itself, but the lessons and values it teaches us ... we can learn about bravery and about standing up for what is right,” he said.

”When we look at the Lone Pine today, think of it as more than just a tree - think of it as a story to tell... each branch, each leaf is a page that reminds us of the past and teaches us to be strong, brave and caring in the present.“