During WW1 Mark Smith, son of Mrs. McMullin of Ashford, was killed in action at Gallipoli on 6 August 1915. His brother, Benjamin, picked up some seeds from a pine tree near where Mark was killed and sent them home to his mother.
Mrs. McMullin eventually planted the seeds in 1928. After successfully raising two trees, she sent one to the Inverell Municipal Council which was planted in Victoria Park in January 1930, and the other to the Australian War Memorial. It was planted by HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester in 1934.