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NSW Government. Transport. Roads & Maritime Services	Road Projects

Southern region

The Remembrance Driveway - Sydney to Canberra

The Great War affected many people and following the war they wanted to build stone monuments to those who had served their country. They built them in great numbers in the cities and towns across the nation.

After the Second World War, Mrs Margaret Davis, the founding president of the Garden Clubs of Australia suggested that a living memorial to those who had served in this conflict be established.

The Remembrance Driveway is a tribute from those who remember yesterday and have faith in tomorrow. It commemorates those who served in the Australian Defence Forces in the Second World War and subsequent wars.

The Remembrance Driveway Committee was formed in 1954. The Charter of the committee is to arrange planting of avenues of trees and establish groves and memorial parks along the Hume and Federal Highways between Sydney and Canberra.

In 1954, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip each planted a Plane Tree in Macquarie Place, Sydney and Her Majesty planted a Snow Gum at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. These trees marked the beginning and end of the Driveway.

Victoria Cross Rest Areas and Memorial Parks, dedicated to all Australian Victoria Cross recipients from WWII and subsequent conflicts are being established on the Driveway. Seventeen, of the total twenty five Victoria Crosses awarded since the Second World War, have been recognised with a dedicated VC Rest Area developed by Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) of New South Wales.

A further five VC Memorial Parks, developed with the help of the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Australian Capital Territory, have been dedicated there. The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent medal for acts of bravery in wartime and Australia's highest military honour. Because of acts of valour and extraordinary personal courage, Victoria Cross recipients have been selected by name to represent the service of all the servicemen and women commemorated in the Driveway.

There has always been a cordial relationship between Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) and Remembrance Driveway Committee.

Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) and its predecessor, Department of Main Roads, have been represented on the Committee from the start. Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) took up sponsorship of the Driveway Committee in 1991 and since then has supported the concept of the Remembrance Driveway with very significant financial, planning and material assistance.