Nancy Low is trying to preserve a key part of both her own and Mount Evelyn’s history. 53600
By Russell Bennett
LOCALS are fighting to save a Mount Evelyn legend’s legacy.
Eighty-nine-year-old Lilydale woman Nancy Low and her family are trying hard to save a string of chestnut trees planted at Mount Evelyn Recreational Reserve by her father-in-law in 1929.
James Lindsay Low was part of a large contingent of local residents who cleared land on Tramway Road to create the football oval and reserve.
He planted trees at the site to celebrate each of his seven children.
Mrs Low wrote a letter to Yarra Ranges Council in 2006 requesting the trees receive a heritage listing.
“I saw an article in a local paper about trees in Lilydale receiving protection so I wrote a letter to council about the chestnut trees,” she said.
“The council replied but said there were no more funds available to list them then, though they did say they’d be protected.”
Mrs Low said her family was worried when they heard about the construction of the new netball courts at the reserve.
“But when they were built without anyone cutting the trees down, we were very, very pleased,” she said.
Mrs Low drove to the reserve recently to take a closer look at the trees but gateman and Mount Evelyn Football Netball Club (MEFNC) committee member Barry Marshall stopped her in her tracks.
“It was on a game day. I went to drive right through but I had to convince Barry I was only interested in the trees,” Mrs Low said.
Mr Marshall said Mrs Low’s connection to the club didn’t even occur to him until she drove back out the gates.
“Her father-in-law James was the first president of the football club from its formation in 1931,” he said. “The trees he planted are very important, not just to the reserve but to the community.”
“They represent so much of our history.”
Mr Marshall added that Mrs Low would soon present the 1931 Most Achieved Footballer trophy back to the club on behalf of the Low family.
“That is going to be a hugely significant day for us,” he said.
President of the MEFNC John Stroud described the significance of the trees to the club.
“The trees have been around for the entire lives of just about everyone here,” he said.
“The recent Morrisons project was ideal for this sort of story.
“It has allowed everyone to learn about crucial parts of the club’s history such as this,” he said.
