Victorian Tree of the Year

This female ginkgo tree started life as a seed planted in Geelong Botanic Garden in 1859. This example is the largest in Victoria, and may be the largest in cultivation in Australia.

Ginkgos, or Maidenhair trees, are a truly ancient tree: their leaves have been found in fossils throughout the world from the Middle Jurassic period (174 to 161 million years ago). Dinosaurs would have grazed on these trees along the edges of streams. However, their dominance waned, and for many centuries they were thought to be extinct in the wild.

The elegant fan-like foliage of this tree turns a golden colour in autumn, and this example also fruits. Its delicate appearance and limited natural habitat are belied by the tree’s longevity, and amazing tenacity once established. At Hiroshima, Japan, six trees growing between 1-2 kilometres from the 1945 atom bomb explosion were among the few living organisms (hibakujumoku) in the area to survive the blast, and continue to thrive.

This is a particularly fine example of a native myrtle beech may be the result of two or three trees growing together, making it possible to wander through the complex living structure: a parallel to the web of life they support.

Myrtle beech have lived in Australia since the time of the Gondwanan supercontinent, but are now limited to areas of high rainfall in Victoria and Tasmania. Although they are a very long lived species (up to 500 years), they are highly susceptible to fire. Myrtle wilt has also become a serious problem for these ancient trees, often due to poor logging practices, leaving trees along roads, walking tracks, and logging areas more susceptible where they are more exposed to the elements.

Walking under the canopy of the myrtle beech, the sunlight filtered through it’s delicate small leaves, it is evident the range of life that they support: from birdlife in the treetop; to the lichens and other epiphytes growing on their branches; to the range of ferns underneath.

This tree is a beautiful aberration. Flooded gums naturally grow north of Newcastle, and are the dominant species in the rainforest edges around the Daintree, where rainfall is between 1000 and 3500mm per year. In their natural habitat, they grow straight and tall.

However, this eucalyptus, likely planted in the 1960s or 70s in Carlton North is a giant in the urban environment, and a landmark of pride for the local community.

It survives on much less water than it’s tropical cousins, and yet has developed an expansive and generous branching canopy that supports wildlife: cools and shades our urban environment: and provides terrific wellbeing benefits, especially for children at the adjacent early learning centre.

Planted by Jacob Bernstein (an active member of Ballarat’s Hebrew community) in 1867, this Canary Island Pine is a striking feature in the landscape of central Ballarat. Canary Island Pines are remarkable for their longevity and ability to survive climatic challenges: particularly relevant in our changing climate.

Fossils from Pinus canariensis have been uncovered from the late Miocene era, indicating that this species may be up to 11 million years old. While the trees cannot tolerate very cold temperatures, they survive a very wide range of rainfall, from as little as 200mm a year to several thousand. Canary Island Pines are also the only conifer which is able to withstand bushfire, as it has epicormic shoots beneath the bark.

In their natural territory, these conifers make an important contribution to the water supply of the Canary Islands, as their needles trap moisture from sea fog and allow it to drip into the surrounding soil, replenishing fresh water aquifers.

Native to central south eastern US, this Indian Bean Tree is the finest example of this species known in Victoria, and a lovely feature tree within the historic Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. The name Catalpa is derived from the Muscogee, the local native tribe, name for the plant, “kutuhipa” meaning winged head, likely relating to the form of the seeds.

Heralding each of the seasons, this tree is covered in large white flowers in spring, a full shady green canopy of large leaves in summer, and interesting long seed pods that often stay on the tree deep into the winter.

Fascinatingly, it is not only the flowers that have nectar, but also the leaves which secrete nectar especially either side of flowering time. The tree has been noted to produce additional nectar when being attacked by caterpillars, to attract ant bodyguards. It also appears to have a symbiotic relationship with Ceratomia caterpillars, which can tolerate the high levels of a particular chemical in the leaves which deters other herbivores from eating the large luscious leaves.

Of State level significance, this enormous angophora is the largest known specimen in cultivation. Located in a highly urban area that is being developed for higher density living, the architects and landscape architects immediately recognised that retaining the tree was essential to the character of this new housing.

While the site is still in construction, the tree appears to be healthy, and existing hard paving for carparking will be removed to form gardens and a permeable surface so that the tree will hopefully continue to grow for many years to come.

The tree supports not only human wellbeing, but a chorus of birds, and the flowers may also provide food for species such as flying foxes.

The design of the building aims to respect the tree, with every dwelling being embraced by its canopy – a wonderful example of retaining significant trees in urban development.

Widely planted in early Victorian gardens, this giant towers above its garden, creating a striking feature within the beautiful historic goldmining town of Maldon. Victorian gardeners likely appreciated the tree for its fascinating form and geometry, but there is another side to these native trees.

Originating from Queensland, they are of cultural and spiritual importance to First Nations peoples. They not only provide an important source of food: the seeds from the huge cones, but also new shoots can be consumed, and the bark used as kindling. Cones can weigh as much as 10kg. As the cones are very slow to develop and mature, it is understood that large community gatherings took place to coincide with harvest years, bringing people to celebrate these trees from great distances.

A standout in the landscape, Bunya Pines are hardy once established, and can live for up to 500 years.