Lone Pine Peace Park and Handshake for Peace Memorial, Leura
Description
This memorial is a grassed reserve, featuring a large bushrock monument known as the 'Handshake for Peace Memorial'. The reserve and the monument recognise peace between Australia and Turkey, and reference the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War. The monument is a large slab of sandstone, standing upright, with four brass plaques attached to the front face. The top plaque is a relief sculpture of two clasped hands that "portrays generals from Australia and Turkey shaking hands". The artwork was created by Terrance Plowright, an artist from nearby Wentworth Falls (Blue Mountains Gazette, 10 March 2015).
The reserve and monument were dedicated by Mr Reha Keskintepe, Ambassador of Turkey, on 18 April 2015. On the same day, the Ambassador also planted a tree at the Lone Pine Memorial, Leura, which is a short walk away down a bush track.
Adjacent to the Handshake monument is a Lone Pine tree donated by Mrs. Carol Taylor of Wellington, NSW, and planted on 28 November 2004. A metal plaque supported by a pole is positioned in front of the tree. The Australian Red Cross First World War Memorial Rose Garden, Leura is also located nearby.
The reserve is directly behind the Lone Pine Avenue and Memorial Gates, Leura.
Inscription
Smaller bushrock, plaque
His Excellency, Mr Reha Keskintepe
Ambassador of Turkey
dedicated this reserve as the Lone Pine Peace Park on 18 April, 2015.
This dedication coincided with
The Great Gathering of Peace, Friendship and
Understanding,
in Istanbul on the same day,
marking the centenary of the Gallipoli
Campaign of WW1
and wishing for peace across all nations.
Part of the Global International Institute for Peace through Tourism
& SKAL International Peace Parks
Handshake memorial, right plaque
Those heroes that shed their blood and lost
their lives ... You are now lying in the soil of a
friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There
is no difference between the Johnnies and the
Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here
in this country of ours ...
You, the mothers who sent their sons from
faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your
sons are now lying in our bosom and are in
peace. After having lost their lives on this land
they have become our sons as well.
ATATURK, 1934
Handshake memorial, left plaque
[text from right side plaque in Turkish]
ATATURK, 1934
Handshake memorial, bottom plaque
LONE PINE HANDSHAKE FOR PEACE
18th April 2015
His Excellency Mr Reha Keskintepe Ambassador of Turkey
Mr Brian Turner RFD President Katoomba R.S.L.
Mr Allan Byrnes President Central Blue Rotary
Mr Phil Hammon, Mr Tom Colless, Benefactors
In the presence of
Mr Mark Greenhill Mayor Blue Mountains City Council
Assembled Local School Students & Residents.
[logos: the Australian Government; Republic of Turkey Embassy; RSL Australia; Blue Mountains City Council; Rotary International Central Blue]
Lone Pine plaque
Story of the Lone Pine
This tree was grown from a seed descendent
from the Pine Tree on Lone Pine Hill, Gallipoli
during World War 1. Cones were brought home
by surviving diggers and family and friends.
This tree was donated by Mrs. Carol Taylor of
Wellington, NSW. It was planted by the
Mayor, Cl. Jim Angel and witnessed by the
Blue Mountains Histroical Society and the
Leura Bush Care Group.
28th November 2004.
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Address
Lone Pine Peace Park
Cnr Malvern Road and Balmoral Street
Leura NSW 2780
AustraliaLocal Government Area
- Blue Mountains, City of
Setting
- Roadside
Location status
Original locationMemorial type
- Garden/park
- Memorial avenue/Memorial tree/Memorial trees
- Stone/bushrock
Recorded by
NSW War Memorials RegisterYear of construction
2015Established Date format:
$e_original_date = $entity->field_established['und'][0]['value'];
if (!empty($e_original_date)) {
$changed_date = strtotime($e_original_date);
$new_date = date("d F Y", $changed_date);
print 'Established date
';
print $new_date;
}
else{
print '';
}Dedication date
18 April 2015 Conflict/s
- First World War, 1914–18
Materials
- Brass
- Sandstone