Site of Ficus superba var. henneana tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Site of Ficus superba var. henneana tree |
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Ficus virens at Fernleigh Castle, Rose Bay
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| Location | 3-4 Fernleigh Gardens, Rose Bay, Municipality of Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1827 |
| Official name: Site of Ficus superba var. henneana tree; Cedar fig; superb fig; Port Hacking fig; formerly part of Fernleigh Castle / The Ferns grounds | |
| Type | State heritage (landscape) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 578 |
| Type | Tree |
| Category | Parks, Gardens and Trees |
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This special fig tree in Rose Bay, New South Wales, is a protected heritage site. It's known by a few names, like Cedar fig or Port Hacking fig. Experts believe it was planted around 1827. It was once part of the beautiful grounds of a large estate called Fernleigh Castle. Today, the tree is officially identified as a White Fig (Ficus virens), which is not native to the Sydney area. It's a very old and important tree!
Contents
The Fig Tree's Early History
This amazing fig tree dates back to about 1827. It might even be a leftover from the natural forests that covered the Eastern Suburbs before European settlers arrived.
In 1831, a man named Samuel Breakwell was given 60 acres (24 hectares) of land in Rose Bay. He quickly sold it because it was very far from other settlements. It wasn't until 1874 that the next owner, Charles Warman Roberts, built a small house there called "The Ferns."
The Ferns house was built on land that was part of a bigger property known as the Tivoli estate.
From Cottage to Castle
In 1881, the property, then called Fernleigh, was sold to Frank Bennett. He owned a Sydney newspaper called The Evening News. Frank Bennett spent a lot of money to make Fernleigh much bigger and change its style. He wanted it to look like a Scottish castle, which is why it's now known as Fernleigh Castle.
This big building project happened between 1881 and 1892. The original stone cottage was not torn down. Instead, it was made part of the new castle. It became the lounge room, dining room, and main office.
Frank Bennett also built a caretaker's cottage near the entrance on New South Head Road. A photo from 1910 shows this cottage. It also shows grand entry gates with sandstone pillars and a metal fence. There were many trees planted, including a tall Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla).
Famous Visitors and Changes
Around 1920, a famous opera singer named Dame Nellie Melba rented Fernleigh for two years. She decided to cut down some trees to get a better view of the harbour. This caused a bit of a stir! At that time, the property was 7 acres (2.8 hectares) and stretched all the way to New South Head Road. The castle had a grand driveway with beautiful lawns and gardens.
In 1920, Mrs. E. M. C. Watt bought the property. Her husband, Edward James Watt, was a racehorse owner from New Zealand. An aerial photo from 1943 shows the fig tree. Its leafy top was about a quarter of its current size. The tree was located on the castle's grounds back then.
In 1951, the property was sold again. About 6 acres (2.4 hectares) of land between the castle and New South Head Road were divided and sold. The rest of the property, including the castle, was bought by William Buckingham. The castle was empty for a while and got damaged.
Later, a builder named Bruce H. Jackson bought the castle in 1954. He ran it as a private hotel from 1954 to 1962. He worked hard to fix it up and change parts of it. He even sold some of the land, like the tennis court, to get money for repairs. He added a swimming pool and a small cottage suite behind the main building.
In 1966, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney bought the castle. They used it as a training center for their staff. Over the years, many famous people stayed at the castle. These included actors Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, writer Dame Edith Sitwell, and singer Shirley Bassey. A cottage by the pool was even named "Shirley Bassey Lodge" after her visit!
A newspaper article from 1966 noted that many of the original "forest" trees were gone. However, some beautiful old trees, like our fig, still remained.
About the Fig Tree
This special fig tree is a Port Hacking or cedar fig (Ficus superba var. henneana). It is a magnificent and very old tree. It's the only known example of this type of fig in the Woollahra area.
The tree stands out on a sandstone hill overlooking Rose Bay. You can see it clearly from the harbour and from New South Head Road. Even though it's a large tree, its size isn't as big as some other figs in the area. This is likely because the soil is shallow and it's exposed to strong winds.
The tree is about 16 meters (52 feet) tall. Its branches spread out about 36 meters (118 feet) from east to west and 28 meters (92 feet) from north to south. It has many trunks that spread across different properties. The total width of its trunks is more than 2 meters (6.5 feet).
Even though it's old, it's considered a healthy tree for its type. Based on its features, experts now think it's actually a White Fig (Ficus virens). It was probably planted in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
The National Herbarium, a plant research center, believes the tree could be as old as the late 1820s. A fig expert, Dr. Wee Lek Choo, thinks it's quite rare. He believes it might be a natural leftover from the original plants in the area. This is because of its location, age, and size. It's also very rare to find this type of fig planted by people.
The tree's roots and branches spread over parts of several properties. This includes 20 Rawson Road and 3, 3A, and 4 Fernleigh Gardens. About half of the 5 Fernleigh Gardens property is covered by the tree's branches and roots.
Tree Condition and Changes
In the early 1980s, some of the tree's branches were trimmed because of nearby construction. In 1987-1988, some of its roots and a stone wall around its base were damaged. This happened when a swimming pool and pipes were installed at 4 Fernleigh Gardens.
The land around the tree has been divided many times:
- 1831: The estate was 60 acres (24 hectares).
- 1874: The cottage "The Ferns" was built.
- 1881-1892: The cottage was made into Fernleigh Castle. A gatehouse and large gardens were added.
- 1919: The property was divided into 13 smaller lots for homes.
- 1953: The road Fernleigh Gardens was created, along with 11 new lots. The fig tree was on Lot 4.
- 1955: Lot 4 was divided into three more lots. The tree ended up on Lot C (20 Rawson Road). Its branches now hang over 3 and 3A Fernleigh Gardens.
- Around 1920: The estate was 7 acres (2.8 hectares). Dame Nellie Melba cut down some trees for better views.
- 1951: 6 acres (2.4 hectares) were sold, leaving the castle on a 1-acre lot.
- 1954-1966: The castle became a private hotel. Parts of the grounds, like the tennis court, were sold. A swimming pool and cottage were added.
- 1966 onwards: The castle became a staff training college.
In 1987, a special order was put in place to protect the tree. In 1987 and 1989, plans for a swimming pool and house additions at 4 Fernleigh Gardens were approved. Care was taken to avoid harming the tree's roots and branches.
Why This Tree is Special
This rare and magnificent fig tree is very important. It has natural, scientific (for botany), and aesthetic (beauty) value. It is one of the most important and famous trees in the Woollahra area.
Experts believe it could be as old as the late 1820s. It is likely a natural part of the original plants that grew in the Eastern Suburbs. This is because of where it is, how old it is, and its size. It's also very rare to find this type of fig planted by people.
The tree has grown very wide. Its fruit provides food for many of Sydney's grey-headed flying foxes (bats), which are an endangered species.
The tree is also important because it's a remnant of the grounds of The Ferns, which later became Fernleigh Castle. This grand mansion was built by newspaper owner Frank Bennett. Many famous people stayed there over the years, including Dame Nellie Melba. Later, it was a private hotel and a banking executive training school.
Because of its importance, the Site of Ficus superba var. henneana tree was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Images for kids
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A White Fig tree, similar to the one at Fernleigh Castle.
