Throsby Tree

On either side of the Throsby Tree there are scars. One is Aboriginal and one European—telling us two stories from our history. Below shows a border reference tree from 1915 with the ‘C’ on the blaze officially declaring it was part of the border survey. It has since fallen out, another image shows a surveyor blazing a tree—a skill no longer in use.

Why is this interesting?

Reflecting different layers of this region’s history, this tree has been placed on the ACT Tree Register. Scarred trees exhibit scars caused by the removal of bark used in the manufacture of shields, canoes, containers or shelters. Scarred trees are of high cultural significance to the Aboriginal community, providing physical evidence of past Aboriginal occupation. Scarred trees are a relatively rare cultural site type in the ACT, making this one particularly rare with also a scar from a blaze carried out by a European probably marking the edge of a property.