Removal of historic tree at Faulconbridge due to lightning strike
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A dying tree at the Corridor of Oaks at Faulconbridge has to be removed, after being struck by lightning.
The 23m tall Araucaria cunninghamii (Hoop Pine) was struck in early 2020 and Blue Mountains City Council officers had hoped the tree would recover, but it is now dying and has to be removed so it does not become a safety risk.
A replacement Araucaria of advanced growth will be included in the upcoming upgrade of the Corridor of Oaks, thanks to the NSW Government’s Public Spaces Legacy Program. This is due to be completed by the end of 2022.
The original tree was planted by Prince George in July 1881 when he and his brother, Prince Albert Victor, grandsons of the then reigning Queen Victoria, visited Sir Henry and Lady Parkes at their Faulconbridge home. Whilst not one of the Prime Ministers’ trees, it is one of the plantings that inspired the Corridor of Oaks concept.
Mayor, Councillor Mark Greenhill, said: “It is often sad when a tree has to be removed, especially one as grand and historic as this, however we must act now to ensure future public safety.”
The Corridor of Oakes was the initiative of Mr. Joseph Jackson, a prominent local businessperson and politician who, in 1932 along with his wife Mylora, purchased a parcel of land opposite their Faulconbridge home and offered it to the Blue Mountains Shire Council for use as a park.
Building on the precedent set by the Royal Princes, who had planted the Hoop Pine and also a Magnolia grandiflora, Jackson planned to invite each of Australia’s Prime Ministers, or their surviving relatives, to plant an oak tree there.
An ardent admirer of Sir Henry Parkes, Jackson envisioned a ‘grand Avenue of Oaks’ forming opposite the home of the Father of Federation to serve not only as a memorial to Parkes, but also as reminder of the importance of what had been achieved when Australia became a federation.
The removal work is planned for early March.
Get more information on the upgrade of the Corridor of Oaks, and subscribe to get project updates, at yoursay.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/corridor-of-oaks.
Photo: Photo of the dead tree that will be removed.