Separation Tree ceremony in Boort

Published on 29 May 2018

A sapling grown from the seed of Victoria’s historic Separation Tree is to be planted adjacent to Little Lake Boort at a ceremony to be held on Monday 4 June.

The 400 year old Separation Tree, in the Royal Botanic Gardens, was the site where the citizens of Melbourne gathered on 15 November 1850 to celebrate the news that Victoria was to become a separate colony from New South Wales.

A river red gum, the Separation Tree was extensively damaged by two vandalism attacks in 2010 and 2013 and despite efforts of staff to save the tree, in January 2015 it was announced that the tree was dying.

Saplings from the seed of the tree have been propagated and are being distributed around Victoria in a partnership between the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Victoria Day Council.

One of those saplings will now have pride of place at Boort on the north western corner of the Lake near Federation Walk.

The Loddon community is welcome to come to a small ceremony for the planting of the Separation Tree at 1pm on Monday 4 June.