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Significant Trees
There is a significant collection of mature trees at the Geelong Botanic Gardens.
Magnificent trees grace the Botanic Gardens and Eastern Park. They are a testament to the foresight of the Curators who have looked after the area since 1851. Curators Daniel Bunce (1857-1872) and John Raddenbury (1872-1896) planted many of the trees which are now included on Heritage Victoria's Register of Significant Trees.
One iconic tree is the Jubaea chilensis, or Chilean Wine Palm. The Chilean Wine Palm can be seen as you look down the central axis of the garden. It was planted around 1869. It influenced the construction of the Raddenberry fernery in 1885 which was built to accommodate the palms height. The palm continues to grow but the fernery is long gone.
This palm naturally occurs in Chile where this species is considered to be vulnerable in the wild due to over harvesting of the palms sap. It has been the symbol of the friends of the Geelong Botanic Gardens logo since shortly after the group's formation in 1985.
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