Gloucester Tree

Tuesday 11^th October

The Gloucester Tree, about 3 km from Pemberton, was used as a Fire Lookout from about 1947.  It was part of a network of 8 similar trees that were used as a means of early detection of forest fires.  Today there are only 3 of them left, and they are a major tourist attraction for the Pemberton area, tempting people to climb them.  

A lookout platform was built high in the tree, and in the case of the Gloucester Tree, the platform is 61 meters above the ground. Access to the lookout is via a spiral staircase of steel rods driven into the trunk of the tree.  Not a climb to be undertaken by the faint hearted or those scared of heights.  The Gloucester Tree was the main reason we headed for Pemberton this morning.

Most of the area from Busselton to Pemberton is covered with Karri forest, and we had a very scenic drive through the forests and lush farmland.

Karri trees frequently grow to more than 60 meters in height and we saw plenty of these giants on our drive. Karris have been growing in this area of Australia for hundreds of years.  Most of the wooden sleepers used on New Zealand’s Railway Lines were cut from Karri trees from this area.  It is known for its hardness and ability to last for a long time.

Pemberton is a small saw milling township founded on the Karri Tree.  It is set on the side of a hill surrounded by Karri Forest.  Quite a picturesque setting. 

We had read quite a bit of literature on the Gloucester Tree and we all decided climbing it was one of the things we had to do while in Aussie. 

After setting up camp and having lunch we headed to the tree.  There were a few people sitting around on the seats below the tree staring up at it.  Away up in the branches, just about out of sight, we could see the lookout platform.  One look at the steel spike ladder disappearing up into the branches high above our heads, and Christel and I looked at each other and gulped.  What the hell had we let ourselves in for?

A notice said only 6 people were allowed up on the lookout platform at any one time. After ascertaining that there was no one up the tree and with no other excuses available, we set off.  Cameron first, followed by Christel, with me coming up the rear as a safeguard and to help reassure the others should their nerve give out.

The steel spikes were about 40cms apart, and the only safety fence was some flimsy wire netting.  The pictures clearly show it.  The rescue and backup crew at the rear managed about 8 steps before his nerve gave out and he gingerly climbed back down.  Christel managed about 8 more before she too started carefully backing down.  That left Cameron on his own.

The two big cowards, with their feet firmly planted on the ground looked at each other.  Do we tell him to come back or let him go?  What if he freezes somewhere up there?  Who would rescue him?  Cameron meanwhile was happily giving a running commentary as he climbed higher and higher.  He was well aware that his ‘support crew’ were no longer with him, but obviously wasn’t bothered.  We were.

The steel rods were so far apart he had to climb them one at a time getting both feet on to each rod before moving up to the next.  Higher and higher he went, while we watched with our hearts in our mouths, and our feet tingling.  Soon another guy also started the climb, and with his longer legs, soon caught up to Cameron.  We could hear them chatting to each other as they disappeared from sight behind the tree and then emerged again as they spiralled up.

He finally disappeared onto the platform and then we heard him shout “I’m at the highest point”.  Great.  Now all he’s got to do is get back down.  After about 5 minutes we were starting to think his nerve had finally given out and we were going to have to launch a rescue mission, when his feet appeared below the platform and he was on his way back down.

By now there were about a dozen people gathered around the base of the tree all aware that a 9 year old boy was up there.  As he started coming down I yelled out “How’s it going mate?”. His reply of “I’m fair shitting myself” had everyone in stitches.

A few minutes later a very proud boy joined his equally proud parents on the ground.  A remarkable achievement for him.  He had the good grace not to give his parents a hard time.

Another lookout tree, called the Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, was about 20km away and was shown as being even higher with its lookout 68 meters above ground.  It too was accessed by a spiral steel rod staircase, but this one had a platform 25 meters up where you could stop and rest. We decided this would be much easier, so off we went.

We won’t go into Cameron’s parents’ second failure of the day.  Cameron got up to the first platform, but was complaining about a sore leg, so decided to go no further.  Thank goodness.  This one looked even worse than the Gloucester Tree.  We won’t even mention how far Christel and I got.

We then drove to another part of the Karri forests to look at the Beedelup waterfall and walk amongst these giants of the forests.  Brilliant stuff.  

Thank goodness the early settlers didn’t cut down everything in their search for timber. Then it was back to camp for a celebratory drink for Cameron’s achievement.  Whatever happened to our little boy?