The photographs of Sarah Wood are a manifestation of her heartfelt connection with nature, the Australian landscape and her philanthropic commitment to community based projects of historical and social content. Over the last eight years Sarah has been proactively working to raise awareness of Australia’s unique and historic Avenues of Honour all around Australia, through photographic documentation and gallery exhibitions.

Victoria has approximately 300 Avenues of Honour, with the majority of them being planted either during or after the First and Second World Wars.  These avenues not only stand for community, but for the lives that were lost in wars that Australia was involved in including The Boer War, World War I, World War II, Vietnam and more recently Afghanistan. The planting of trees honours those men and women who served for our country, many of whom never returned to Australian soil.

Initially directed by John Hawker from Heritage Victoria, Sarah began in 2007 photographing the six heritage listed Avenues of Honour in Victoria – Eurack, Ballarat, Woodend, Mont Park, Calder Woodburn and Bacchus Marsh. These works formed the first collection, which was opened by Professor Geoffrey Blainey AO at the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne, in 2010 and has since travelled to the National Trust of Victoria, Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Lorne and most recently Warrigal. As a qualified Photographer and Horticulturist, this project has enabled Sarah to combine her creative and practical passions. After completing her education at the Photography Studies College in the 1980’s, she went on to study a Horticultural degree at Burnley University in Richmond in 2000.

I intend to expand my collection and continue to exhibit with the goal of raising awareness and respect for these historical landmarks both locally and abroad.

To enquire about hosting the Avenues of Honour Exhibition, please get in touch at sarah@swoodphotography.com.