Old Jarrah Tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Jarrah tree |
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Old Jarrah Tree
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 Old Jarrah tree
Location in Perth
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| Native name | Error {{native name}}: an IETF language tag as parameter {{{1}}} is required (help) |
| Species | Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) |
| Location | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 32°09′15″S 116°01′04″E / 32.15417°S 116.01778°E |
| Website | |
| Designated | 9 September 2003 |
| Reference no. | 9009 |
The Old Jarrah tree is a really big and old Eucalyptus marginata tree. You can find it near the entrance of a carpark in Armadale, Western Australia. Experts believe this amazing tree is between 400 and 800 years old!
Trees this huge and ancient are quite rare around the Perth area. This is because many trees were cut down for timber in the 1800s. The Old Jarrah tree is not in perfect shape. About three-quarters of its top branches are dead or gone. It is also less than half its original height because parts of it were cut off.
In 1997, some people damaged the tree by ringbarking it. This means they cut a ring around the trunk, which can kill a tree. But the Old Jarrah tree is a fighter! It grew many new shoots, called epicormic shoots, on its north side. Even with these problems, the tree is still considered stable and strong.
Protecting the Old Jarrah Tree
The Old Jarrah tree has a special history of being saved. Twice, in 1987 and again in 1997, groups of people fought to stop the tree from being destroyed. They wanted to protect it from being cut down, possibly for new buildings.
In 1997, a special rule called a Conservation Order was put in place to protect the tree. This happened after the Minister for Heritage received a huge number of requests – 1,147 of them! People really wanted this tree to be saved.
Today, the Old Jarrah tree is an important part of the Bicentennial Heritage Tree Trail. This is a special path that highlights important trees. The tree is also listed on two important registers:
- The Heritage Council of Western Australia's Register of Heritage Areas.
- The Tree Register of the National Trust of Australia (Western Australia).
It is very special because it is one of only three trees or groups of trees in all of Western Australia that has this kind of heritage protection. This shows how important and unique the Old Jarrah tree truly is!
