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Statement of Significance

The site of Brisbane City Botanic Gardens was selected as a public garden in 1828 by New South Wales Colonial Botanist Charles Fraser, three years after the establishment of the European settlement. Originally the garden was planted with food crops to feed the convicts. In 1855, a portion of the land was declared a 'botanic reserve' and Walter Hill was appointed as curator. The Queensland Heritage Register describes the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens as 'the most significant, non-aboriginal cultural landscape in Queensland having a continuous horticultural history since 1828, without any significant loss of land area or change in use over time.' It incorporates Brisbane's most mature gardens and features many rare and unusual species of plants. This tree was planted in the gardens in 1884 and is one of its most beautiful trees. It originates in the Himalayan foothills and can reach a height of 50 metres. Its thick mottled brown and grey bark is its most attractive and distinctive feature and its cones produce edible seeds. This species produces resin which is used as an ingredient in paint, varnishes, inks, linoleum, soldering fluxes and maintaining friction in stringed instruments.
This is one of the most beautiful tree in these historic Gardens and makes an important contribution to its landscape.
The tree is situated to the right of the path leading from the George Street entrance to the Gardens, near the Queensland Parliament House.