A LOCAL council and community group are taking steps to protect a gum tree that holds special significance to a Riverland town.
Berri Barmera Council’s Environment and Sustainability committee voted late last year to recommend works to maintain the health of the Monash Lone Gum Tree, with the council’s elected members accepting the recommendations during their November monthly meeting.
The Lone Gum and Monash Community Association is also planning to “raise the profile” of the tree as part of Monash’s centenary projects.
Association member Lloyd Wright said the tree was “closely associated with the history of Monash and its development”.
“The lone gum has always been an icon of Monash,” he said.
“The surveying teams camped underneath the tree during the period of about 1918 to 1920 as Lone Gum and Monash were being developed.
“The lone gum is also the symbol the primary school uses and Lone Gum was also its own area on the south side of the highway until the name Monash became used for the whole area.
“The reason why the tree is an oddity in the first place is because it is a river red gum tree that isn’t near the river, so God knows why it is growing there to start with, but thankfully it is still alive.”
The tree is located on crown land, landlocked by a privately owned vineyard.
“Periodically it raises concern about whether the tree is being looked after or not,” Mr Wright said.
“As part of the 2021 centenary celebrations, a few of us have had contact with Sandy Singh – the current block owner – and he has come on board to help raise the profile of the tree and make sure it’s being looked after.
“The intention is for the delineation of the crown land boundary to be re-established by surveyors and fenced somewhat.
“It’s great that the current ‘owner’ of the tree is proud of the sacred status of the tree.”
Mr Singh said he was “happy for people to come and see the lone gum”.
“When I bought the property, the tree was obviously already here, but I have continued to look after it for the 20 years I’ve been here because of its history,” he said.
“I’m happy because it’s a pretty famous local landmark to have on my property.”
The site is listed as being of regional level of significance by the National Trust.
Works at the site, including surveying, fencing and marketing, are expected to cost just under $10,000 and will come from the council’s Environment and Sustainability strategy budget.
The committee recommended the project be carried out within the 2020/21 financial year.