Roma War Memorial and Heroes Avenue

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Roma War Memorial and Heroes Avenue is a heritage-listed memorial in Roma, Queensland, Australia. It was built in 1920 and is located on Bungil Street, in the town’s central area.

What it includes
- Heroes Avenue: An avenue of more than 90 bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris) that runs from the Roma railway station, along Wyndham Street, and into Bungil Street. The trees were planted by 1920 to remember local men who died in World War I, with the first 27 planted on 20 September 1918. Each tree originally had a brass plaque with the name of a fallen soldier. Today, only one plaque survives, now placed on a cairn outside the Post Office (corner of McDowell and Wyndham Streets) and dedicated in 1983 by the Roma RSL sub-branch. Some trees have been removed or replaced over time to ease traffic.
- The Tree of Knowledge: The first tree to be planted outside the Post Office, linked to the death of local soldier Lt Cpl Norman Saunders (killed in 1916).
- The cairn: A white-painted concrete pillar outside the Post Office with a bronze plaque listing the 93 local men who fell in World War I. The original names from the trees are kept on this cairn.
- The cenotaph: Located in Queen’s Park, this is a pale grey granite sculpture on a larger base. It features three marble plaques. The front carries the ode “For the Fallen” and an Australian Army badge. The rear lists the 93 World War I dead; an additional eastern plaque commemorates 39 local men who died in World War II. Behind the cenotaph are nine pine trees grown from seeds said to come from Lone Pine in Gallipoli. The cenotaph was unveiled on Anzac Day, 25 April 1938, by Colonel Sir Donald Cameron.
- The site surroundings: The cenotaph sits in a paved area with kerbed paths and grass, forming a formal space around it.

History and significance
- The Roma memorial began with the Heroes Avenue and was completed in two stages: the trees (by 1920) and the cenotaph (1938). It is a strong example of how communities in Queensland created lasting memorials after World War I.
- A unique feature is the avenue of trees, each once associated with a specific local fallen soldier, making this form of memorial uncommon in Queensland.
- The site is an important local landmark and continues to be the focal point for Anzac Day commemorations in Roma.
- The memorial shows how communities honored volunteers who served, not only those who died, and it reflects the era’s cultural tastes and craftsmanship.