ASX
Listed property developer Sunland Group will make an ancient Moreton Bay Fig
tree a major feature of its $123 million Royal Pines resort residential
development.
Estimated
to be more than 300 years old, the tree will become the jewel in Sunland’s
Royal Pines crown. Rather than relocate it, the developer collaborated with
environmental consultants Habitat Environment Management to preserve the historic
tree.
Habitat
managing director Matt Keys, said the preservation of the tree was one of many
environmental aspects to be implemented within the project.
“We’re
stoked to be working with Sunland once again on the preservation of significant
vegetation. Over the last nine years we’ve worked with the Sunland team on
managing creek corridors, significant vegetation communities, ridgeline
vegetation and preparing environmental covenants,” said Mr Keys.
“We
deal with Sunland’s ecological planning concerns whether it’s environmental master-planning
for an entire subdivision right through to looking after individual trees like
the one at Royal Pines. The big fig is particularly exciting as it’s one of the
very few remaining trees left on the lowlands that were growing prior to
European settlement. It’s estimated that the tree is more than 300 years old so
it provides a living link with the distant past.”
It’s
not the first project where a fig has been saved by Sunland. The Clover Hill
community at Mudgeeraba features two giant figs at the entrance.
Sunland
managing director Sahba Abedian, said once they had a close look at the Royal
Pines fig, they realised its historical significance.
“When
Matt (Keys) explained the history of the tree and we came to better understand it’s
significance we decided make it a major feature of the project,” he said.
“The
fig tree is very large and already sits on a small knoll, around six metres
above the finished level of the project. So it naturally will become a dramatic
central feature. We’re very careful with these types of matters. By buying this
land we’ve become the custodian responsible for the tree and it’s a
responsibility we take very seriously.”
Mr
Keys said that prior to settlement, the Carrara and Benowa areas had some
magnificent vegetation ranging from freshwater wetlands right through to
lowland sub-tropical rainforest. The Royal Pines fig is one of the very last
trees left from that era.
“When
one considers that there are most likely only a couple of dozen trees of this
age left on the lowlands, it’s easy to appreciate why their preservation is so
important,” he said.
“The
tree has been hit by lightning in the past and has most likely withstood dozens
of cyclones over the past three centuries. However, it’s in reasonably good
health and will be well cared for by the Sunland team.
“Moreton
Bay Figs are quite common but this individual is special because of the age and
location. Most of the larger figs we see around the Gold Coast are about a
century old as they were a popular, fast establishing shade tree planted by the
early settlers. However, we know this tree is different due to the unusually
large thickness of its branches.
“Some
of these branches are one metre thick, indicating a very old tree. The tree
would’ve been part of the lowland subtropical rainforest that existed in this
area. It’s difficult to be certain why this tree wasn’t cut down during
original land clearing works. Often individual trees like this acted as an
indicator of a homestead being nearby for passing river boats and the like. The
tree has somehow avoided the axe since European settlement 150 years ago so
it’s now great to know that it‘ll be protected for all time.”
