Big Tree Park in Guildford, Victoria is home to a spectacular, ancient River Red Gum thought to be somewhere between 500 to 1,000 years old.
This impressive giant stands across the road from the park, which features a playground, undercover barbecue area, picnic tables, tennis courts with basketball hoops, a toilet block, information signs and rubbish bins.
Another interesting site is the
Aboriginal Shelter Tree in Talbot, Victoria - a giant River Red Gum about 700 years old, with a girth of approximately 15 metres. Its hollowed out centre was used by the Dja Dja Wurrung clan as a shelter.
An information sign at the foot of the Big Tree displays the following information:
THE BIG TREE
'River Red Gum'
Eucalyptus camaldulensis (fam: Myrtaceae) Dehnh.
GUILDFORD
The Big Tree is thought to be one of the largest examples of the species in Victoria. It has been recorded as having a height of 30m, a canopy spread of 34m, and trunk circumference of 9.35m. Estimates of the age of the tree range between 500 ~ 1000 years.
It is listed as a tree of State significance on the National Trust's Register of Significant Trees of Victoria for its "outstanding size, curious fusion of branches, as an outstanding example of the species and as an important landmark". The National Trust regards its conservation as vital to the local community and the State as a whole.
Already an ancient giant when the first white settlers arrived in the 1840's, the Big Tree has played an important part in the cultural and social life of the Guildford community. This wonderful tree survives as an important symbol and a link between our community and its traditional owners, the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal people.
Due to its great age, numerous hollows have formed within the tree providing habitat for many creatures. This tree is an eco-system which sustains a vast range of bird and animal life including magpies, rosellas, lorikeets, parrots, kookaburras, wood ducks, boobook owls, honey eaters, numerous species of insects, native bees and possums.
Potential damage to the Big Tree has been avoided in recent times due to the actions of the local Guildford community. In 1990, two roads that crossed directly beneath the tree canopy, causing soil compaction were re-routed, and in 1991, extensive branch pruning was avoided by relocating existing powerlines.
Source: Frank Passalaqua, Tony Holland, Ian Huxley, National Trust (Victoria), Vic Roads, Shire of Newstead Heritage Study.
BBQ
Guildford
