Kingston’s Algerian Oak Voted Victorian Tree of the Year 2025

A rare species in Victoria, this giant watches calmly over the cemetery at Bright. Native to the Himalayas, it is found in Northern India, Nepal, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This Quercus leucotricophara it is one of only nine known examples in Victoria. Each leaf is dark green above, and silvery grey underneath. At about 130 years old and with a canopy spreading over 24m, it is a striking feature of the landscape. An evergreen oak, this giant is a precious reminder of life.  

The High Street Apple Myrtle (or Ashburton Tree of Life, as it is described by the Ashburton Community Centre) has been a unifying and constant feature for the residents of Ashburton for over 80 years. Throughout changes in land use and demographics, starting its life within the Ashburton Estate for new immigrants and returned servicemen; to shading a doctor’s surgery; to being in the grounds of the Ashburton Community Centre. 

Today, the tree provides the only constant on a busy roadway and an ever-changing array of shopfronts. It shades a small children’s playground, now guarding the next generation of Ashburton residents. 

Commonly known as the Golden Wych Elm, this tree is seen and appreciated by thousands of commuters every day. A superb example of its species, and of a significant tree in the urban landscape. Planted in about 1938, it has been a symbol of the changing of the seasons in an urban environment for nearly 90 years.

It became Melbourne’s most emailed tree after the launch of the City of Melbourne’s Urban Forest Visual Website in 2013, which allowed people to address the cities trees as individuals, expressing their admiration, hopes and ideas.  

This Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) is one of the ‘signature trees’ from the formative years of gardens in Victoria. The tree shares a long and continuous history with the site, itself closely aligned with the passing of the Education Act in 1872 and the subsequent expansion of religious education in the State, and is estimated to be over 140 years old.

This tree forms an amazing example of the aerial roots that these trees rarely produce in Victoria, which shows the form of a true ‘banyan’ that you would otherwise see only in the tropics.

A rare species, of State Significance, this Sumac tree is estimated to be 129 years old. With its multiple trunks and graceful appearance, African Sumac are particularly valued for their ability to provide shade, with high drought tolerance and heat adaptability. This makes it an increasingly important species in a changing climate.

This Rhus aff viminalis is a continuous link to the history of the gardens, which have changed and evolved over time: it provides hope for our green spaces into the future: and is also an important way for the children of the area to connect with nature.

Known as “The Tree of Knowledge”, this eucalyptus is a central landmark in the main Quadrangle of Federation University in Ballarat. This beautiful and majestic old tree has unusual morphology: twin trunks have fused together.  It was planted as a seedling on Arbor Day, 23 May 1896, on what was then a dairy farm, and now has a trunk girth of nearly 8m, and stands at over 42m high.

While this species is a forest tree in select locations in Victoria and Tasmania, it was widely planted in the nineteenth century as a street tree, windbreak and in many historic parks and gardens.

Although Olive Trees are known for their longevity this one must be one of the oldest in the country. It has several trunks, retains its natural form, and is remarkably tall and appears to be in very good condition.

Olives have deep historical, economic, and cultural significance, particularly in the Mediterranean. First cultivated between 8,000 and 6,000 years ago, they are among the oldest fruit trees domesticated by humans.

This ancient example is on the site of The Plough Inn, which has been used continuously since the days of Cobb and Co.

The striking Golden Monterey Cypress avenue that forms an entrance to the township of Cowes stretches a full mile and comprises 119 golden cypress trees, planted progressively from 1912 to 1935.

Community spirit ran high as local school children and residents participated in the planting, starting from the Esplanade and extending inland, and they continue to be loved and protected by locals and visitors. Rare in uniformity and scale, these trees are more than botanical specimens—they are living heritage. The avenue stands as a powerful example of early 20th-century civic pride, community action, and landscape foresight.