Most Australians would be surprised to learn that an ancient tree is growing at the edge of an Australian shopping centre car park. A series of new photographs shared online show the thick jarrah perched on a rocky pedestal behind a rusted sign advising it could be “over 1,500 years old”.
Located in the outer Perth suburb of Armadale, none of the natural landscape that once surrounded it survives.
A smattering of litter and a Coles trolley abandoned around its base are indicators of its wretched, forgotten existence.
This month, tree enthusiasts expressed “disgust” at the state of the tree, with one person calling its positioning in the car park “disrespectful”.
“Who the hell approved this monstrous decision?” another added.
Attempts to kill ancient jarrah tree thwarted
The tree’s fate was decided over 40 years ago, when Armadale Shopping City was built around it.
Contrary to the estimate on the local council’s sign, the state government estimates the tree is between 400 and 800 years old.
It is likely the oldest of its species in the city, because most other large examples were destroyed by settlers, loggers and farmers in the 19th century. Today it’s referred to simply as the “Old Jarrah Tree”.
A sign at the base of the Old Jarrah Tree indicates it could be over 1,500 years old. Source: Phil Davey
It once stood in the playground of a local school, and developers have repeatedly applied to bulldoze it.
The first proposal was in the 1980s, when Armadale Shopping City was being planned, and the second attempt was in the late 1990s, when a $40 million extension was announced.
Following a community backlash, the state government placed a conservation order on the tree in 1997.
Today, Armadale Shopping City is a bustling hub, and many locals rush by the tree to shop at Coles, Aldi, Kmart, or JB HiFi without giving it a second thought.
An old metal fence surrounds the tree as part of a crude attempt to protect it from the vandals.
Its trunk was illegally ringbarked in 1997, causing significant damage, and contributing to its dilapidated appearance.
Health of ancient tree unclear
This week, the Department of Planning confirmed the tree is still listed on the State Register of Heritage Places.
“Listing on the State Register recognises a place’s cultural heritage significance and provides statutory protection under the Heritage Act,” a spokesperson said in an email.
But it said the responsibility for ongoing maintenance rests with the landowner.
Much of the Old Jarrah Tree is dead, and it stands at half its original height due to lopping.
Its health remains unclear, as Armadale Shopping City did not have anyone available to comment, and its parent company, the privately-owned DiMauro Group, did not respond to an email.
Council ‘understands’ importance of Old Jarrah Tree
The local council told Yahoo News it was open to providing technical advice to the landowner to “support the continued protection” of what it said was a “significant tree”.
“The City of Armadale… understands the community interest in its long-term protection,” it told Yahoo News.
The mayor, Ruth Butterfield, said the tree continues to hold a “special place” in the region’s shared history, and said measures were in place to protect it for future generations.
“For generations of local residents, including many who attended the former Armadale Primary School at this location, this tree has been a familiar and valued part of the town centre landscape,” she said.
“The tree stood within the school grounds for many decades and formed part of the everyday playground experience for generations of local children, so it holds fond memories for our community.”
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