Steve Irwin, Tina Arena to be honoured in lit up palm plaques

An ambitious idea to name a group of trees after notable locals is well underway – with a new twist. The Hollywood style star walk – with names like Steve Irwin and Tina Arena – could become more glamorous than first thought.

The Canary Island date palm plantation in Essendon could be turned into a Hollywood style walk of fame.

A Hollywood style walk of fame could be heading to Essendon.

Councillor Richard Lawrence will move a motion at the next council meeting to install under tree solar lighting to all the Canary Date Palms located down Mt Alexander Rd.

The motion was set to be heard at the meeting on March 24, but was cancelled due to coronavirus.

If approved, the lights would join 143 plaques set for the trees between Shamrock St and Leake St after a motion passed last September to investigate naming them after past or present notable members of the community.

Steve Irwin was born in Essendon and could be one of those named on the palm plaques.

The Hollywood style avenue of honour, which will see plaques devoted to the likes of Steve Irwin, Archbishop Frank Little, Tina Arena, Sam Merrifield and Richard ‘Dick’ Sylvanus Reynolds, would be turned into a luxurious light show if the motion goes ahead.

Irwin was born in Essendon and grew up playing around Moonee Ponds Creek.

The famous crocodile hunter caught his first common brown snake in the Maribyrnong River at age six.

Tina Arena grew up in Keilor East. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The councillor said he wanted to combine the significance of the plantation with the significance of people in the municipality.

“They deserve the recognition and they are names that go down in some cases folklore in our municipality,” he said.

The names will be chosen by the council place naming committee, which consists of a councillor from each ward.

Richard ‘Dick’ Sylvannus Reynolds was an Australian rules footballer who represented Essendon in the Victorian Football League in the 1930s and 1940s.

The initial proposal will see a small plaque placed at the base of each tree with the name of a person and a short blurb about their life.

Cr Lawrence said only five palm trees would be named each year under the initiative.

“It will be an exciting announcement to look forward to each year and to celebrate our significant Moonee Valley people and significant date palm plantation,” he said.

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Archbishop Frank Little, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, once lived in Moonee Ponds and could also be a plaque recipient.

The palms were planted around 1929 when the tram tracks were duplicated on Mount Alexander Rd.

It is now the longest and largest single planting of Canary Island date palms in Victoria.

Cr Lawrence said the plantation was an Essendon landmark.

“They are just magnificent,” he said.

The council has not yet costed the initial plaque project or where the money would be sourced.

For the new lighting addition, Cr Lawrence will suggest the project is purchased and installed over two budget years.

A report is still set to be prepared with more details on the initial plaque project, where they will decide whether or not to go ahead with the idea.

@EmilieBaxter_