2nd May 2008, 03:47 PM
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#57 (permalink)
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| Eric Frei Administrator - Brisbane L5 (Dip) Hort Cert III Arb + some
Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane
Posts: 6,613
|  Re: Tree of Knowledge Barcaldine Australia
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ekka  Well, I'd like to add a significant tree story pertaining to Australian politics. 
Back in 1890 era it's alleged but not proven that the Australian Labor Party was born after a shearers strike under the shade of a ghost gum in Barcaldine, now historically known as The Tree of Knowledge. 
However around May 2006 the tree had a large amount of weed killer poured onto it's roots (30 litres) and had a long struggle as people tried to save it. However on 3 October 2006 the tree was officially pronounced dead.
In an effort to preserve the tree, it was uprooted and transported to Brisbane 29 July 2007 Tree of Knowledge poisoned : ABC Western Queensland 'Tree of Knowledge' cuttings sales unlikely. 04/10/2006. ABC News Online Tree of Knowledge uprooted | The Courier-Mail
The irony is the current Labor premier for Queensland went to Barcaldine to hold a farewell service and donate $1.4million for a memorial centre, he was greeted by 500 angry protesters who threw water filled projectiles at him in the middle of a drought. They were protesting about the recent council amalgamations in Queensland.
Premier Beattie said, "Isn't it great to see (that spirit) is not dead," he said amidst the shouts. | Tree of Knowledge has babies | The Australian Quote:
May 02, 2008
THE historic Tree of Knowledge will be returned to the central-west Queensland town of Barcaldine on the Labour Day public holiday, in the form of 35 clones and cuttings.
The 160-year-old ghost gum, regarded as the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party, was mysteriously poisoned in 2006, prompting a rescue operation to preserve it.
Since last year, Department of Primary Industries' scientists have been preserving the original tree and generating clones and cuttings.
The smaller versions of the tree, produced from a young shoot of the original taken in 1991, will be presented to Barcaldine Regional Council at Monday's Labour Day march.
Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin said he was pleased the tree could live on through scientific know-how.
Treatment of the original tree would continue for several more months, before it was returned to a "resting place" in Barcaldine.
"The seven-metre-high trunk and branches are being chemically treated to protect against insect attack in a process that is hailed as the first of its type in Australia, and possibly the world," Mr Mulherin said.
In Brisbane, the Labour Day march will begin at 10am in Wharf and Turbot streets, and end at the RNA showgrounds with a family barbecue.
This year's theme is "Your rights at work, worth joining for".
| Amazing what is spent on a dead tree! |
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