Would you make the climb without a harness? – credit, DBCA supplied to ABC News
In one of Australia’s premier wine regions, a woody tourist icon closed for 3 years has reopened to the relief of locals.
The second-tallest “fire-lookout tree” in the world, climbing the Gloucester Tree is something of a rite of passage for locals and visitors to Australia’s far southwest.
Not far from the massive land-locked coastal sand dunes at D’Entrecasteaux National Park, residents of the former timber industry town of Pemberton loved little more than watching sunrise and sunset from the observation platform 200 feet up the Gloucester Tree.
Since 1947, the 250-year-old Eucalyptus, or Karri tree, has worn a curving ladder of pegs stuck into its trunk which once upon a time were used by foresters to survey the vast karri forests for wildfires.
No harnesses or ropes have ever been provided to those looking to climb the tree, a strange relic of a bygone pioneer era in our safety-first society today.
“It is a magnificent view,” said local government president Donelle Buegge. “To watch the sunrise through the canopies of the trees is absolutely incredible.”
Then in 2023, the tree was closed because of safety concerns, dealing a blow to the local tourism industry which relies on outdoorsy types who visit looking to enjoy long-distance hiking trails, the rich forest ecosystem, multiple national parks, and the area’s wine and agricultural operations.
The new observation platform on the Gloucester Tree, Pemberton- credit, DBCA supplied to ABC News
Engineers and arborists re-pegged the tree, along with another of similar age and height called the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, in 2023, but it was eventually closed while they evaluated how best to address structural issues.
Recently reopened, a new observation platform has been installed just over 100 feet up, while the one 200 feet, or 61 meters up the trunk remains closed. There are still no harnesses or ropes—climbing is done at your own risk, and although it takes some nerve it’s still substantially safer than Alpine skiing, which kills or injures dozens of people every year.
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Tim Foley from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, told ABC News that he recognized how important visitation driven by the trees is to the community. Ensuring work was done right to avoid future closures was paramount.
“On an Australian level and probably on the international level, they’re pretty unique … so we’re encouraging people to come visit the sites and also all the other amazing things you can do around Pemberton.”
Pemberton is located 190 miles south of Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
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