The ANZAC Lone Pine of Gallipoli

Excerpts from NZ Journal of Forestry, May 2007

Stand up the real Anzac Lone Pine of Gallipoli

The native pine of Gallipoli is Turkish red pine (Pinus brutia).  After World War I Sergeant Keith McDowell brought back a cone from the famous Lone Pine, from which four trees were later planted at war memorials in Victoria, Australia, in 1933-34. 
Whilst there are several in Australia, the only authentic Pinus brutia in New Zealand from the Gallipoli Lone Pine seems to be the one at the Paeroa Golf Course very likely derived from the cone Sergeant McDowell brought back with him to Australia, and as such must rank as one of the most historical trees in the country.
A tree was planted by J. Jensen at Primrose Hill, Paeroa, near the War Memorial on a hill above the town.  The seeds were reputed to have come from the Melbourne Botanic Gardens from a tree hich was a progeny of the Gallipoli Lone Pine, said to be Pinus halepensis, which grew close to Brighton Beach, Anzac Cove.  Another tree was plated on a local Paeroa Golf Course (Burstall, S.W. and E.V. Sale. 1984. Great trees of New Zealand. Wellington, NZ: A.W. Reed. 288pp).   The Primrose Hill tree is not there now, but the one on the gold course is still alive and well – a gnarled veteran – and it is Pinus brutia, not Pinus halepensis.