Eucalyptus cornuta

This Yate is a remnant planting, located along the abandoned Kingston branch railway easement, in a section now known as the Creswick-Broomfield Rail Reserve.  

 

The species is endemic to south west Western Australia, and this tree is one of two Yates within the reserve. It is likely one of the first plantings of Australian native plants propagated and sold from the Forest Nursery in Creswick. It is a large and unusual example of a species rarely seen in Victoria. The tree is only in fair condition and half of the canopy has died, possibly due to a basal burl inhibiting bole growth and strangling the tree. 

This Yate is significant for scientific and aesthetic reasons at the Regional level. 

This Yate is scientifically significant as a species uncommon in Victoria, and for its extremely wide trunk circumference. The tree is aesthetically significant for its most unusual growth form. A basal burl circles the entire trunk, about one metre high and over three metres in diameter. Ants actively use the burl and the trunk has a strong smell of formic acid.  A nearby Yate of similar age has no such basal burl.  

 

This tree is not as tall as the two other Yates in the Significant Tree Register (T11535 at Loyola College in Watsonia [recently removed], and T12071 in Domain Parklands), however the trunk is significantly broader, due to the burl. 

 

Several eucalypt species have been planted along the fence lines on both sides of the reserve. Most likely, adjoining farmers planted the trees in the reserve to provide shelter in their paddocks. This specimen is adjacent to a property once owned by Alf Redman (b.1910), a well-known local identity, who probably planted the tree.  

 

The Creswick Forest Nursery was established by John LaGerche in 1888 to propagate species for reforestation of local areas denuded by timber harvesting for gold mining related activities. The nursery first started propagating and selling eucalypts and other tree species in about 1918, to encourage tree planting in farmland areas. Therefore, 1918 is probably the earliest time the nominated tree could have been planted. 

 

Eucalyptus cornuta was one of the species propagated and sold at Creswick. It grew relatively quickly and did well in damp soils such as low-lying basalt-derived clays found to the north of Creswick.  

Tree Measurements: 

 

Condition: Fair 

Tree Type: Individual 

Circumference: 3.86m at 1.4m above ground, 9.6m at basal burl 

Height: 15.6m 

Canopy Spread: 17.2m 

Height method: Instrument 

Circumference method: Instrument 

Date of measurement: 19/09/2020 

Age of tree: 80-100 years