The 100 Lone Pines Project is an initiative of Dr John Basarin OAM – Chairman of the Friends of Gallipoli Organisation. The objective of this project is to commemorate the ANZAC spirit, and to celebrate the Centenary of the Republic of Turkey in 2023, whose first President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was the commander facing the Anzacs at Gallipoli. After the battle on the ridges of Plateau 400, Gallipoli 1915, only one Turkish Pine tree remained. An Anzac Sargent Keith McDowell collected a cone from this tree and returned to Australia with them. Seedlings were raised from this cone and grown to full trees, and a now a second generation of seedlings is being grown and planted. These are descended from the Warrnambool Lone Pine and the Inverleigh RSL Memorial Lone Pine. The goal is to plant 100 Lone Pine Trees in Victoria. Our project will provide participating schools and RSLs an opportunity to share updates of the growth and progress of their lone pine seedlings. It will also include sharing by the students of the stories of the local Diggers who paid the ultimate sacrifice at Gallipoli. We look forward to sharing our stories and photos, and the growth of the young Turkish Pines.

We invited all Year 5 and 6 students to participate in the Lone Pines, Peace and Friendship Poetry Competition, where they explored the powerful themes of peace, friendship, and the enduring legacy of the lone pines. We thank all the students for their insightful contributions and creativity. Congratulations to the winners Sienna Blacksell Year 6 Heywood Consolidated School, Ava Morrison Year 6 Sale Primary School and Oscar Spinelli Year 5 Sale Primary School Sale Primary School.

Each school below has it's own page with photos and stories of their Lone Pine Tree Planting.