Ancient Geelong ginkgo wins Victorian Tree of the Year title

A ginkgo biloba standing in Geelong's botanic gardens was named Victoria's tree of the year on Tuesday. The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) announced the winner, a tree that has served as a backdrop for wedding photographs for decades. The announcement capped a voting process that drew 4,435 public entries.

The 160-year-old tree rose about 20 metres and collected 27% of the total votes. It outperformed eight other finalists, including a smooth bark apple myrtle in Prahran and a myrtle beech in Apollo Bay. The ginkgo is the largest of its species in the state and possibly in Australia.

Justin Buckley, the National Trust's executive manager of gardens and landscapes, described the result as a "very popular winner." He noted that the tree is "very well loved in that area." Sheree Parker, the botanic gardens supervisor, confirmed that the ginkgo is the "most visited and talked about" tree in the park. Many couples choose to marry on the lawn beneath its branches.

The tree was planted in 1859, roughly two decades after Geelong was formally established as a township. Its seeds originated from China, and local lore suggests a ship's captain brought them to the Geelong port. The tree displays stalactite-like growths on its trunk, a feature found only on older female ginkgos. It also produces fruit known for its strong odor.

Ginkgos date back to the Jurassic period, more than 160 million years ago. In Japan, the species symbolizes hope, longevity, and peace after six trees survived the 1945 atomic blast in Hiroshima. They were previously thought to be extinct in the wild for centuries before being revived.

The competition, which began in 2016, aims to celebrate the state's best-loved trees and advocate for green space protection. A recent report by Stonnington city council found that over 17.9 hectares of tree canopy were lost on private land in that suburb over the past decade. The National Trust is urging the Victorian government to grant automatic statutory protection to registered trees and adopt a "retain first" planning principle.

Buckley stated that current uniform protection measures remain "quite limited." He warned that growing populations and housing demand will put heavy pressure on trees, noting that significant trees lack the protection afforded to heritage buildings.