Edenvale residents restore historic oak tree to preserve town heritage

With the arrival of September and Heritage Month, a group of Edenvale residents are hard at work to preserve a piece of the town’s history.

Although now collapsed and only a shadow of what it once was, the mighty oak that once stood on Twelfth Street—near Frank Maret Park and beside Edenhaven Retirement Village—is being given new life by community members determined to honour its heritage.

Local woodworking enthusiast Antony Khourie and fellow resident Martin Sinclair have been dedicating their spare time to transforming what remains of the oak into something beautiful while paying homage to Edenvale’s past.

ALSO READ: Neglected Horwood’s Farm Homestead sparks heritage outcry in Edenvale

“The big idea is to clean it up and make it look nice,” said Antony.

“For me, the main thing is to take the wood we have here and make it into something people can appreciate.”

Antony and his son, Callan, run a YouTube channel called AntzCreations, which they started about two years ago to showcase their woodturning and woodworking projects. Using reclaimed and old wood, the duo built their content and slowly grew their channel.

“One day we were joking on camera while using an expensive wood finish, saying we weren’t sponsored,” Antony recalled.

“Shortly after, Jax Oleum—one of the big names in South Africa—reached out to us and started sponsoring our channel. Through them, I was put in touch with Martin, who was already working on the tree.”

Martin began his work after 1610 United, a community cleanup group, tackled the surrounding Frank Maret Park area. That effort sparked the initiative to preserve the tree.

For Antony, the project holds both personal and historical meaning.

ALSO READ: Ron Smith residents explore Scottish heritage

“Heritage is a big thing to me. When I was younger, I probably walked under this tree countless times without noticing it—it was just a big tree back then. Now, I want us to get it cleaned up and make it something special for the community.”

The oak was originally planted in 1900 by Tobias Mynhardt, one of Edenvale’s historic figures. Mynhardt, former owner of Rietfontein No. 9 Farm (the land on which present-day Edenvale stands), played a key role in the town’s growth by subdividing the land and selling portions to Father De Lacey, Johannesburg grocer Mr Amm, and the Rietfontein Gold Mining Company.

In 1983, the Edenvale Museum and Cultural Society placed a commemorative plaque at the tree’s base to mark its historical significance. Today, that plaque has disappeared.

In 2020, Ward 19 Clr Bill Rundle met with The NEWS after the oak began losing leaves and limbs.

He showed evidence of insect damage, with bored holes in fallen and attached branches. Rundle explained that he had reported the tree’s decline to the City of Ekurhuleni, but no action was taken. As the oak stood on municipal land, its care fell under the municipality’s responsibility.

Now, community members are stepping in where officials did not.

Antony said the group is currently focused on removing all rotten wood, with plans to carve a bench, a birdbath, and add other features. Once complete, the remaining tree will be sealed with a Jax Oleum finish provided by sponsors.

ALSO READ: Bedfordview club celebrates 75 years of preserving Italian heritage

Plans also include installing a new commemorative plaque and repairing the stand that supports it. Looking ahead, the group hopes to host a community day at the site, with more details to follow.

Antony encouraged other residents to share their input and join in the project. Contact him on 071 022 2457 to get involved.