The Gloucester Tree is a giant karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) tree located in the Gloucester National Park of Western Australia. The tree is tall, It is the world's second tallest fire-lookout tree, second only to the Bicentennial Tree. It was named after Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

History

As a fire-lookout tree

In 1947, the Gloucester Tree was selected by foresters as a fire-lookout tree. It was one of eight lookout trees built in Western Australia's South West between 1937 and 1952.

The suitability of the tree as a fire lookout was tested by forester Jack Watson, who climbed the tree using climbing boots and a belt. It took Watson six hours to climb , a difficult climb due to the girth of the tree and the need to negotiate through limbs from up. Jack Watson, a Gallipoli veteran, was also Superintendent of Kings Park in Perth, and retired from that position in 1962. Another forester, George Reynolds, pegged the ladder and lopped branches to facilitate climbing the tree, and a wooden lookout cabin was built above the ground.

left|thumb|216x216px|Warning sign in 2005

The wooden lookout cabin was demolished in 1973 for safety reasons, and was replaced with a steel and aluminium cabin and visitors' gallery. However, the area around the tree is still open to the public. The possibility of a permanent end to climbing the tree has not been ruled out by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, but regional manager Tim Foley has said that it was something they were not keen to see.

This was opposed by Louise Kingston, the Nationals MP for the South West Region, who called it "unacceptable" for the trees to be closed ahead of the summer tourist season.

<gallery mode="nolines">

File:Pemberton Gloucester Tree Base.jpg|Base of the tree

File:OIC pemberton gloucester tree climbers.jpg|Tree being climbed

File:OIC pemberton gloucester tree.jpg|View of the ladder

File:Gloucester tree 2024.jpg|In the centre from a distance

</gallery>

See also

  • List of individual trees

References

  • Gloucester National Park – Department of Environment and Conservation