Old Jarrah Tree
Encyclopedia
The Old Jarrah tree is an exceptionally large and old Eucalyptus marginata (Jarrah) tree near inside the carpark the entrance at the corner Third Road and Church Avenue in Armadale
, Western Australia
. It is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old. Trees of such a great size and age are rare in and around the Perth metropolitan area, because of extensive logging of the area in the 19th century. The tree is in fairly poor condition: about three quarters of its canopy is dead or gone, and it is less than half its normal height due to lopping. It was ringbarked by vandals in 1997, and it has responded by producing numerous epicormic shoot
s on its north side. Despite these issues, the tree is considered to be in a stable condition.
Attempts to have the tree destroyed were twice defeated by community groups, in 1987 and again in 1997. In 1997 a Conservation Order was issued for the tree after the Minister for Heritage received 1,147 submissions asking that it be saved. It is now part of the Bicentennial Heritage Tree Trail, and is included on both the Heritage Council of Western Australia
's Register of Heritage Areas and the Tree Register of the National Trust of Australia (Western Australia). It is one of only three trees or groups of trees in Western Australia to be heritage listed.
Armadale, Western Australia
Armadale is a suburb within the City of Armadale, located on the south-eastern edge of Perth's metropolitan area. The major junction of the South Western and Albany Highways, which connect Perth with the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia respectively, is located within the...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old. Trees of such a great size and age are rare in and around the Perth metropolitan area, because of extensive logging of the area in the 19th century. The tree is in fairly poor condition: about three quarters of its canopy is dead or gone, and it is less than half its normal height due to lopping. It was ringbarked by vandals in 1997, and it has responded by producing numerous epicormic shoot
Epicormic shoot
An epicormic shoot is a shoot growing from an epicormic bud which lies underneath the bark of a trunk, stem, or branch of a plant.-Epicormic buds:...
s on its north side. Despite these issues, the tree is considered to be in a stable condition.
Attempts to have the tree destroyed were twice defeated by community groups, in 1987 and again in 1997. In 1997 a Conservation Order was issued for the tree after the Minister for Heritage received 1,147 submissions asking that it be saved. It is now part of the Bicentennial Heritage Tree Trail, and is included on both the Heritage Council of Western Australia
Heritage Council of Western Australia
The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the Government of Western Australia agency created to identify, conserve and promote places of cultural heritage significance in the state.It was created under the Heritage of Western Australia Act...
's Register of Heritage Areas and the Tree Register of the National Trust of Australia (Western Australia). It is one of only three trees or groups of trees in Western Australia to be heritage listed.
Further reading
- Powell, Robert James. and Emberson, Jane (compilers) 1978 An old look at trees : vegetation of south-western Australia in old photographs Perth : Campaign to Save Native Forests (W.A.), 1978. ISBN 0959744932