Paluma Village Green Trees in Memory
In 2015 The Residents of Paluma planted a grove of now thriving flowering Rainforest trees on the lower edge of the Village Green to commemorate and honour Paluma and District Pioneers and Past Residents whose names are inscribed on the Wall of the Hall deck overlooking the Green.
Research into the early residents of this 80 year old Village-in-the-Clouds revealed some amazing characters including the first European resident, Arthur “ Possum” Benham who lived here for 65 years apart from time spent on the Somme in The Great War after he put his age back several years to join up…he was 50 years old on discharge! His family included the first European child born in the Paluma Rainforest about 100 years ago.
Another discovery was Bruce Plant, a Lancaster pilot with the famous 460 Sqn RAAF, who lies in a cemetery in Germany and who has been recently generously honoured there by nearby villagers, while at the same time his sacrifice was honoured by a RAAF ceremony in the Village Hall.
The Trees 
of Memory also commemorate former District residents who have no known graves but who are still remembered.
Past Residents honoured represent all walks of life from Labourers to Professionals including a Judge who re-established the tennis Court and Golf Course in league with a man who brewed Coca Cola in Townsville! (not to forget the Benham Creek tenth size olympic pool)
At the end of life no greater tribute can be paid to those ahead of us in the queue of mortality than to simply remember them and their contributions both great and small to the Community we have inherited for a short while.
What better way than to plant trees in memory.
Text by Michael Drew