Significant Trees
The National Trust of Victoria (Australia) in 1982 set about a pilot study to evaluate the idea of having a Register of Significant Trees for Victoria. In conjunction with the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne the pilot was completed and the National Trusts Register of Significant Trees was launched in 1983.
Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehnh)
RED GUM
Located on the banks of the Yarra River, this tree was Robert Hoddle's reference point for his survey in 1844 of part of Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
(Citation National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Register of Significant Trees.
History
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The Hoddle Survey Tree, is a remnant River Red Gum marker by the Government surveyor Robert Hoddle in April 1844 as a reference marker when he surveyed Kew in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. Hoddle’s 1844 field book shows the location of the tree south of the Yarra River notated with ’1 Stake Gum.
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In 1994 John Parker, Surveyor General of Victoria, confirmed the identity, location and history of this tree. Known and fixed reference points are critical to the surveying of land, and hills and trees were often used prior to modern surveying techniques. The tree is believed to be 300 year of age.
The tree has a prominent position at the rear of the 12th green at the Kew Golf Club which this year made it into the top 100 golf courses in Australia.
The club is somewhat laudatory of the fact that they are the custodians of the tree and in September 1994 this plaque was unveiled to reveal a centenary tribute to the club and the birth 200 years ago of Robert Hoddle.
The tree is quite a tall specimen for a red gum and it is little wonder that Hoddle used it as a marker tree for his survey work in 1844 for the Kew subdivision.