Boab Prison Tree, Wyndham facts for kids
The Boab Prison Tree is a very old and large boab tree located in Western Australia. You can find it just south of a town called Wyndham, near the King River road. This special tree is hollow inside, and it was once known by another name: the Hillgrove Lockup.
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A Tree with a Past: The Hillgrove Lockup
Imagine a time long ago, back in the 1890s. Police officers on patrol in the Wyndham area noticed something interesting about this huge boab tree: it was hollow! They decided to cut an opening into the tree. This made the inside of the tree like a small room.
Why Was It Used as a Lockup?
During this period, the tree was used as a temporary holding place for Aboriginal people who were being taken to Wyndham. They would stay inside the tree overnight before continuing their journey.
One old newspaper article from 1931 described the tree as having a "cell with a capacity of more than 100 square feet." It even claimed the tree "has accommodated 30 prisoners at one time." However, it's likely this number was an exaggeration, meaning it was probably not true.
Chained Outside the Tree
Another news story from 1940 gives a more realistic picture. It said that sometimes there wasn't enough room inside the tree for everyone. In those cases, some people were chained to the outside of the tree. The article tells a story about one person who managed to escape, even though they were chained. They were described as a very strong person who bent the iron bolt holding the chain!
Names Carved into the Tree
In 1938, another article mentioned that the tree was nearly 40 feet around its base. It also said that the words "Hillgrove Police Station" were carved deeply into the tree's soft bark. Many other travelers also carved their names and initials into the tree over the years.
A photograph taken around 1917–1925 clearly shows the words "Hillgrove Lockup" carved into the trunk. Over time, with so many new carvings and the effects of nature, these old words have almost disappeared.
Not to Be Confused with Another Tree
It's important to know that there's another famous boab tree called the Boab Prison Tree, Derby. However, a 1966 news article confirmed that the Derby tree was never actually used as a prison. It was the Boab Prison Tree near Wyndham that had this unique history.
Today, the Hillgrove Lockup, or Boab Prison Tree, in Wyndham is a well-known tourist attraction. People visit it to learn about its interesting past and see this incredible natural landmark.
