Ernest Stanley Rowley (SN 1763) was born in Ballarat and educated at Mt Pleasant State School. He was an 18 year old labourer when he enlisted on February 14th 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on board the Euripides in April 1916 to serve with the 59th Infantry Battalion. After training in Egypt and England, he arrived in France in September 1916. On 1st October 1918 he was killed in action at the Hindenburg Line in 1917. He has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Australian Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France.

His brother Cornelius was killed in action in France in 1917 and is also honoured with a tree in the Avenue.