By Violet Li
Christmas is the right season to talk about trees.
Christmas Under the Elms, an ingenious celebration on Tulliallan Boulevard in Clyde North, combined the tree conservation and festive mood to the utmost on Sunday 26 November.
Run by the non-profit organisation Friends of the Tulliallan Elms, the festivities were held against the backdrop of a lush English elm avenue with 51 trees down each side that have been standing still in the time since 1900.
Several speakers talked about the significance of those elms, including Friends of the Tulliallan Elms president Raavenan Jayaraman, Kooweerup Swamp Historical Society president Heather Arnold, Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas, admin for local community Facebook group Bec Hyland, and Alkira Secondary College principal John Shaw.
The event consisted of 18 vocal performances, four multicultural dances, and two band performances from various schools around the neighbourhood.
There was a best-dressed dog competition and five Christmas raffles throughout the day. Food stalls and art stalls were set up for the pleasure of the community.
Mr Jayaraman said the celebration went very smoothly and everyone was very happy.
“The most important thing is it didn’t rain. There was a 50 per cent chance of rain in the morning and early afternoon. But, it just drizzled slightly. Other than that, everything was fine,” he said.
Speaking of the messages the event aimed to convey, Mr Jayaraman pointed out there were more than 100 elm trees in the neighbourhood and not many residents knew about these trees.
“Every day people just walk along these trees. They cycle. They bring their pets and dogs. But they don’t know how special these trees are,” he said.
“They are endangered species.”
Tulliallan Elm Avenue was listed by the Heritage Council of Victoria for its historical and aesthetic significance to the City of Casey.
First introduced to the country in the early 19th century, Australia’s English elms survived the Dutch elm disease that killed many elms throughout Europe and North America in the 1970s, due to its geographical isolation.
“What we have today in Tulliallan is one of the last remaining elm avenues in the world,” Mr Jayaraman said.
He explained the land was previously used for private farming and since it went public, there was a need for people to recognise how important those trees were.
“We want to create awareness among the community about the trees. And we also want to bring the community under the trees to enjoy the space,” he said.
Mr Jayaraman thanked everyone who was involved in making the day a success.
