3 December 09: Sunland Saves Giant Fig

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.” 


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They said it, not us!

Habitat Environmental have completed numerous environmental reports for THG Resource Strategists on behalf of clients. In the main the works undertaken have been whole of site ecologically studies relating to flora and fauna issues as well as requirements under the Vegetation Management Act. In each case Habitat have approached the service delivery with a high level of professionalism and provided timely, accurate and cost effective services.


Peter Sippel
Director
THG