Grown from seed planted in Geelong Botanic Gardens in 1859, the female Ginkgo at Geelong Botanic Gardens is the largest of its kind in Victoria, and possibly the largest in cultivation in Australia.
It is notable for unusual stalactite-like growths from its trunk and branches. This phenomenon is normally only seen in much older Ginkgo trees. The tree has thrived for more than 160 years thanks to the care of Geelong Botanic Gardens, their garden staff and a dedicated team of volunteers.
An ancient tree with remarkable longevity
Gingkos, also known as Maidenhair trees, are among the oldest tree species on Earth. A truly ancient tree belonging to an order of plants that thrived during the Middle Jurassic period (174 to 161 million years ago), Ginkgo fossils have been found on every continent. Once thought to be extinct in the wild, small relic populations survived in China and thousand-year-old examples can also be found planted at temples in Japan and Korea.
Their distinctive fan-shaped leaves have inspired artists and designers for centuries, from traditional Japanese ceramics and metalwork to Art Nouveau architecture and furniture. These ancient leaves have also helped scientists investigate climate change. By comparing microscopic pores in fossilised and living Ginkgo leaves, researchers have reconstructed past atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to investigate the relationship between greenhouse gases and a period of rapid global warming around 56 million years ago.
Ginkgo’s delicate appearance hides extraordinary resilience. In Hiroshima, Japan, six trees growing 1 to 2 kilometers from the 1945 atomic blast miraculously survived and are today revered as symbols of hope, longevity and peace. Ginkgo’s are a true evolutionary relic, yet they thrive as street trees in modern mega-cities such as Tokyo and New York.
“Botanic and historic gardens play a vital role in protecting established trees like this one. We congratulate the City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Botanic Gardens and the volunteers who have cared for this tree for generations.”
– Justin Buckley, Executive Manager Gardens & Landscapes, National Trust Victoria
Celebration is not enough: stronger protections are required for Victoria’s significant trees
Every year, the National Trust Victoria holds our Victorian Tree of the Year competition to celebrate our best-loved trees, but protecting them takes more than a vote.
The affection Victorians hold for trees is undeniable. We instinctively understand their value. Trees cool our streets, clean our air, provide habitat for wildlife, reduce stress, and make neighbourhoods healthier and more beautiful places to live. As the population of Victoria continues to grow, equitable access to cooling green spaces becomes all the more urgent.
Yet despite the benefits they provide, we continue to lose established trees at an alarming rate. For example, Stonnington City Council recently released their Urban Greening Framework, which notes that within their municipality, in the last 10 years over 17.9 hectares of tree canopy has been lost within private land, and this trend is likely to continue.
National Trust Victoria strongly supports thoughtful development and recognises the need for more housing, but trees cannot remain an afterthought in the planning process.
Growth is inevitable, the loss of mature trees should not be.
The real question is how we can best accommodate this growth without losing the special trees that make places liveable and resilient.
The National Trust is calling on the Victorian Government to:
- Give automatic statutory protection to trees on the National Trust Significant Tree Register and equivalent local government registers.
- Introduce a ‘retain first’ planning principle, so removal is a genuine last resort.
- Support local councils to protect significant trees, including by appointing a state arborist.
The Tree of the Year competition celebrates the trees Victorians cherish most. But celebration alone is not enough. If we truly value these remarkable trees, we must give them the legal protection they deserve. Once lost, they cannot be replaced within our lifetimes.
Thank you Victoria
National Trust Victoria thanks everyone who nominated and voted, and the communities behind all nine finalists:
- Ginkgo, Geelong Botanic Gardens (winner)
- Indian Bean Tree, Castlemaine
- Smooth Bark Apple Myrtle, Prahran
- Myrtle Beech, Apollo Bay
- Bunya Pine, Maldon
- Flooded Gum, Carlton North
- Golden Wych Elm, South Yarra
- California Redwoods, Warburton
- Canary Island Pine, Ballarat Central
Victorians can nominate a tree to the Significant Tree Register at any time. Learn more at https://www.trusttrees.org.au/nominate.
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