Discover some living history on National Tree Day

Friday 27 July, 2012

Parks Victoria wants people to seek out the famous and fabulous trees in their local parks and reserves for this year’s National Tree Day, 29 July.

Werribee Park Mansion’s garden has some of the state’s oldest trees, with seven exotic and native trees recently added the National Trust Tree Register; a Monterey Cypress, Canary Island and Aleppo Pines, Lemon Scented Gums and a Cow Itch Tree.  Seventeen of the garden’s special trees are now on this State register.

“The old trees in our garden here are the living memories of our local history, and of the Aboriginal and European people who lived and settled in this area, says Parks Victoria’s Adam Smith.

“In Werribee Park there are about 1000 trees planted by the Chirnside Family in the 1870s, and many planted by the Catholic Church in the 1930s. The oldest tree on the Register is a Moreton Bay fig planted in the 1850s.”

As head Horticulturist at Werribee Adam Smith says when trees are placed on the register for their cultural or heritage significance a tree management plan is put in place to conserve them for future generations. “Heritage Trees are classified on a number of levels, based on their significance. Recently two of our listed trees were elevated from Regional to State Significance, the Moreton Bay Fig in the old Farm area and the Swamp White Oak which is on the front lawn.”

Other ancient exotics are to be found in more remote places such as the fruit and timber trees planted by miners and early settlers in the Central Goldfields and Alps Regions.  There are also examples of Aboriginal tree history found all over the state, such as the River Red Gums along the Werribee River, many over 200 years old, which have the scars from Aboriginals making canoes.

Another great example of Victorian tree history is at Creswick where John La Gerche, known as the Father of Landcare, decided to replant denuded local mining sites. Visitors can now see some of the trees he planted in the 1850s on the La Gerche Walk in Creswick Regional Park.

Many people like to celebrate National Tree Day by planting their own piece of living history, so it’s not surprising that it is Australia's biggest community tree-planting event.