The ATF seeks a person to act as a link person to groups and ancient
tree activity in Australia
Contact us if you would like to know more.
Sean Freeman works as a Consultant Arborist based in North Queensland
Australia in a small but very dedicated Arboricultural firm - Northern Tree
Specialists. Over recent years they been involved in consulting and working
on a number of very significant trees in regional Queensland.
Sean gives us a fascinating insight into his work:-
"The time frame of white settlement in Northern Australia strongly
determines the age class of the trees we see and work with. There are very
few truly ancient trees here, most have been long since felled or destroyed
by the cumulative effects of urbanisation. There are no doubt older trees
out in the bush but we very rarely get to see them; the distances involved
in exploring the interior of our state are mind boggling!
The first two photos are of a 260yr old Eucalyptus microtheca (coolabah)
in the small township of Hughenden in Western Queensland. This tree was used
as a way marker by two explorers Walker and Landsborough in their separate
searches for the ill fated Burke and Wills expedition in the 1860's. The
discovery of suitable pasture land in the region by William Landsborough led
to settlers moving to the West and developing towns like Hughenden, I have
written a management plan for the "explorers tree" which will hopefully
prevent it from declining as rapidly as many younger historical trees in
Queensland have. As I indicated in my first note, the great work done
in the UK by the Ancient Tree Forum has proved invaluable to me.
The second two photos are of a row of mango trees planted down the main
street of a small township in North Queensland Halifax, planted in 1880's
(therefore only 126yrs old) these trees mark one of the first civic
improvements made by the emergent settler society in this small corner of
the north. We prepared a management plan for the protection of these trees,
after careful inspection and some minor works to remove dangerous deadwood
over the main street. (Note the bitumen right up to the stems of the
trees!!!)
I have used many different resources in my work with these veterans of the
bush much of it from organisations such as yours to great effect and benefit
for all. The work that has been done through Europe and especially Britain
is especially important to Arborists working with veteran trees down under,
so thank you."
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