![From left: Mogo Business Chamber president Richard Adams, Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips and Mogo Business Chamber's Brian Aitchison at the first blueberry ash. Picture supplied. From left: Mogo Business Chamber president Richard Adams, Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips and Mogo Business Chamber's Brian Aitchison at the first blueberry ash. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/cee3fecb-351e-45a5-9ada-7392d6e06ffd.jpg/r0_0_642_772_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Two blueberry ash trees planted near Mogo Oval are the start of a permanent memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.
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The trees and a plaque were unveiled at Mogo Oval on November 17 and form the first stage of the Mogo tree planting project.
Mogo Chamber president Richard Adams said the trees were a sign of rebuilding, resilience, recovery and moving forward.
"It's important for people's mental health to see things happening on the ground," he said.
"Up until now there hasn't been anything someone can look at and say 'that is funded by bushfires' - and it's three years on.
"This is the first physical thing you can see besides clean up - two clean ups, after fires and floods."
Mr Adams said while workshops and resilience training helped people recover from the fires, they were very personal things, and community projects such as more trees were permanent, tangible and available for everyone to enjoy.
"The community gets satisfaction when they see progress and it makes them feel better," he said.
![The first two trees and plaque were officially revealed at a ceremony on November 17. Picture supplied. The first two trees and plaque were officially revealed at a ceremony on November 17. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/37c053dd-f76b-4a89-88ed-8f408d14dd67.jpg/r0_654_4032_2921_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The project received a government grant for $20,000 under the Planting Trees for the Queen's Jubilee Program, supporting eligible groups and organisations to honour The Queen's jubilee celebration.
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Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips, who selected the project for the grant, said the planting of new trees was one more step towards healing for the community, and was a "literal rising from the ashes".
"Mogo was devastated by the 2019-20 bushfires, and this grant delivered in honour of Her Majesty's life achievements will help restore the local streetscape and support Mogo's recovery," Ms Phillips said.
When complete, the project will see mature trees planted around the oval and along the main street.
Mr Adams said the Chamber was trying to work within Transport for NSW's plan for Mogo and Eurobodalla Shire Council's rules around tree planting when deciding where to plant trees. He would like to see the process made easier, so more trees can be planted sooner.