Big Trees on Ochre Arch

In yesterday’s local paper (The Grenfell Record) there was an article submitted by Jacqui Mitton alerting readers that next weekend Derek McIntosh, Co-ordinator, National Register for Big Trees was going to be in the area and will be looking specifically for large White Box (Eucalyptus albens) or Western Grey Box (Eucalyptus macrocarpa) to place on the register. We checked out the Register website, learned the measurement guidelines (NB: we used method 1 to determine tree height ... quite a bit of fun, actually) and headed off around the farm to see what we could find that might be suitable for registration. One of the biggest challenges in the process when it comes to identifying possible eligible eucalyptus trees is finding ones that are still a single stem at the stipulated circumference measurement height of 1.4 metres. Our guess is that only one in ten on our place meets this criterion.

Below are the biggest trees of the main species we have on our farm. Given that ‘size is all relative’ the ones we’ve listed may well be dwarfed by same-species trees on other properties; especially given that much of our farm has been cleared since white-fella occupation of the area and the fact that our soils are comparatively light and low in fertility. That said we reckon our White Cypress-pine tree would give others a fair run for their money! 

Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus), NE corner, Amphitheatre Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 3.3 metres

Tree Height: 12.7 metres

Average Crown Spread: 15.5 metres

White Box (Eucalyptus albens), Gully edge near southern boundary, White Box Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 1.5 metres

Tree Height: 19.3 metres

Average Crown Spread: 12.3 metres

Blakely’s redgum (Eucalyptus blakelyi), West of track 1/3 way from entrance gate, White Box Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 1.8 metres

Tree Height: 18 metres

Average Crown Spread: 14.7 metres

Western Grey Box (Eucalyptus macrocarpa), near tourmaline site, Lookout Rock Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 2.2 metres

Tree Height: 21 metres

Average Crown Spread: 15.3 metres

Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora), centre southern boundary, Valley Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 3.9 metres

Tree Height: 27.8 metres

Average Crown Spread: 17.7 metres

White Cypress-pine (Callitris glaucophylla), centre west, Big Pine Paddock

Trunk Circumference: 3 metres

Tree Height: 19.3 metres

Average Crown Spread: 15 metres