Mount Fatigue Giant crowned 2024 Victorian Tree of the Year
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) (NTAV) is thrilled to announce that the towering Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans), known as the “Mount Fatigue Giant,” has been crowned the 2024 Victorian Tree of the Year.
Standing tall in Gunyah (South Gippsland), this majestic tree captured the community’s admiration securing more than 20% of the votes. At 46 metres tall, with a canopy spread of 20 metres and an impressive trunk girth of 18.85 metres, the Mount Fatigue Giant is an extraordinary example of the world’s tallest flowering tree species.
First documented in the 1980s and officially classified as a Significant Tree by the National Trust in 2018, this ancient tree is truly awe inspiring. Located in the Strezlecki Ranges on the lands of the Gunaikurnai People, the Mount Fatigue Giant is one of a unique collection of large old-growth trees in eastern Victoria that are listed on the National Trust’s Register of Significant Trees. This iconic tree has endured fire events and logging threats, both challenges that have historically impacted the South Gippsland region forests. In spite of these, the Mt Fatigue Giant continues to serve as a remarkable testament to the resilience and grandeur of Victoria’s natural heritage.
The runner-up in this year’s competition was the Moonah (Melaleuca lanceolata) in St Leonards, capturing 17% of the public vote, followed closely by the Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) in Brighton, which received 14%.
The Victorian Tree of the Year competition celebrates the vital role trees play in enriching lives. We believe that trees are fundamental to health and wellbeing, supporting biodiversity and contributing to the creation of liveable cities. As cities grow hotter and denser, the importance of trees will only become more vital.
Click here to read the full announcement.
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is the state’s leading advocate for the protection of trees, celebrating the benefits they provide to our communities. Since 1982 the Trust has classified over 20,000 trees in 1,200 places across the state on the National Trust Significant Tree Register.
For competition enquiries, email trust.trees@nattrust.com.au
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The Moonah species was once widespread across the Bellarine Peninsula and beyond. With numbers of remnant trees in decline, this is a fantastic example of a remnant tree that remains healthy and structurally sound. This tree is one of the oldest known Moonah in Victoria and is well cared for by the local coastal authority. It is an outstanding example of the species with further longevity expected.
Pinus ponderosa is a Pine species from the western United States where it can grow up to 70m in height. This example in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens is 40m in height and is the tallest tree in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens. It is significant due to age and size and is likely the oldest known example in Victoria. The bark of the tree is particularly attractive.
This Corymbia citriodora (Lemon-Scented Gum) exhibits a highly unique form and appearance due to the wrinkled and somewhat compressed appearance of its trunk. It is unique in that few specimens of this species display such form. The tree often draws attention and comment from passers-by and is a well-known landmark in the area. It is significant at a regional level.
Standing near the entrance to Kyneton Botanic Gardens, this tall Chilean wine palm makes a bold statement in its landscape. Palms of this species are some of the largest palms in the world, and this one, planted in the 1870s, is the largest Chilean wine palm in Victoria. When last measured it was 13.5 metres tall with a massive stem girth of 4.25 metres. Recognition of its positive attributes aids the species’ recovery from Charles Darwin’s insulting words: “These palms are, for their family, ugly trees.”
This example of Quercus robur (English oak) was planted by important local resident, J.S. Anderson to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. It is an outstanding example of the species due to age and size, its importance to the local community of Sandford in the Glenelg Shire is significant. It is of vast physical proportions and makes for an imposing example of the species.
This is one of the great southern conifers of Melbourne and Victoria. At 27m tall with a diameter of over 2m, it is also famous for its wonderfully mottled bark of various colours, which change with the season. Situated in the historic gardens at Burnley and is surrounded by a splendid century old garden and is easily accessed.
The Cabbage Palm (Livistona australis) are a Critically Endangered species in Victoria. The population within the Cabbage Tree Creek Flora Reserve on Gunaikurnai Country in East Gippsland is one of 3 natural populations making Australia’s most southern population of any type of Australian palms.
This example of the well-known Moreton Bay Fig is not only state significant for its size but its connection to Baron von Mueller of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, who donated the tree to the church in the 1860’s. The species was widely planted last century, and this remains one of the finest examples of the era.
Eucalyptus regnans (Mountain Ash) is the tallest flowering tree in the world, only the Conifers of the Pacific Northwest United States attain great heights. This tree in Gunyah is of vast physical proportion with only one other known tree in Victoria having a greater girth. The tree is an outstanding example of the species with a measured height of 46m. It is known as the Mount Fatigue Giant.
The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) is the state’s leading advocate for the protection of trees, celebrating the benefits they provide to our communities. Since 1982 the National Trust has classified over 20,000 trees in the National Trust Significant Tree Register.
One of Victoria’s largest trees, a majestic River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) was awarded the prestigious title of 2023 Victorian Tree of the Year.
The National Trust is the state’s leading advocate for the protection of trees, celebrating the positive impact they have on the local community. Become a Member or Donate to help support this vital work.
