About four miles north-west of Berri the soldier settlement of Lone Gum begins. This patch is now officially called Monash, but it will probably never lose the name of Lone Gum given it by the first soldiers who pitched camp there in 1916. Very appropriate, too, was the Diggers’ choice, for standing away in its lonely isolation three miles from the river, like a faithful sentinel keeping watch in the scrub, is a grand umbrageous red gum-tree, proud monarch of its surroundings. The boys could see in that tree a sacred significance dear to their memory of Lone Pine [Gallipoli], and so the spot at the old tree came to be named and be known. Thoughtfully has the Government decided to reserve half an acre round the gum, which even more as the years roll on will be distinguishing and hallowed landmark of this district. The Mail, 18 Dec 1920.
