Gelorup swamp paperbark named as nation’s biggest

Gelorup has been put on the national conservation scene after a giant swamp paperbark tree in Five Mile Brook was named as Australia’s biggest by the National Register of Big Trees.

Estimated to be more than 400 years old, the giant tree was discovered by Friends of the Gelorup Corridor group member Terri Sharp while she was exploring the area.

“I’ve been exploring that region quite extensively ever since the controversy of the outer ring road came about and quite often on my little adventures into the bush there I stumbled across it,” she said.

After measuring the tree and submitting the data to the National Register of Big Trees, it was recognised as Australia’s biggest just last week, standing 30m tall and measuring 4.9m around.

Friends of the Gelorup Corridor group member Kieran Noonan said it was great to see the tree recognised.

The register’s description of the tree on its website mentions how the paperbark stands just 1.2km from a giant tuart tree, also listed as one of the biggest of its kind.

“It is most unusual to have two giant trees of different species in such proximity,” it says.

According to Ms Sharp, this recognition should serve as further reinforcement of the natural significance of the area and would be a hot topic at the Main Roads community meeting next Thursday.

“It reinforces the fact that this area should not be an outer ring road, but possibly listed as a park of regional significance,” she said.In the wake of the listing, two guided community walks are set to be hosted on August 24 and August 25 at 3pm which will take in both giant trees, the proposed BORR corridor and explore the Five Mile Brook area.

“It’s never been about people saying not in my backyard, it’s because there are genuinely very, very important heritage and environmental issues here,” Mr Noonan said.

Main Roads could not be reached for comment.