Nominations for exceptional Ballarat trees have closed for 2023, with the community highlighting 12 trees to be considered for the formal list of significant trees in the municipality.
The Exceptional Tree Register, which helps to identify and promote exceptional trees on private and public land, currently lists 4298 exceptional trees. This includes individual trees, groups of trees and tree-lined avenues from across the municipality.
This year the City of Ballarat received 12 nominations from passionate community members which will now be considered against 12 selection criteria. To be an exceptional tree, it must be recognised in at least three of the criteria.
The criteria includes but is not limited to; being of outstanding size or age, a curious growth or significant cultural value or even an unusual or rare species.
Several trees have been nominated this year that are located on private property, in people’s front and rear yards.
A group of trees have been nominated in the Lake Gardens Central Park on St Cedars Grove due to their historical connection to the Lakeside Psychiatric Hospital. The hospital was located there from 1877 until 1997 before the development of the suburb which saw the successful retention of a number of mature trees.
The trees will now be assessed and reviewed by qualified arborists and an expert panel. Recommendations will then be made for which trees should be included in the register.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said he was looking forward to seeing the newest exceptional trees added to the list for 2023.
“The aim of this process is to celebrate Ballarat’s trees by promoting and raising awareness of existing exceptional trees,” he said.
“It is incredible to see all the significant trees across our municipality, and to uncover some hidden gems in people’s yards.
“The growing register is a helpful part of the target set by the Urban Forest Action Plan, to reach a forty percent tree canopy cover by 2040.”
The Exceptional Tree Register is a working document that continues to change to reflect the dynamic nature of the city’s urban forest.
