(click on image
for a bigger picture) - Image courtesy of the Knox Collection/R.H. Knox
Collection (Colac Historical Society)
The above image proves that the
trees 100 years back were certainly much bigger
than their
current day counterparts and hence could've been considerably taller
given their optimum growing conditions. We know from recent accurate
laser measurements in Tasmania that the tallest tree there is 99m (325
feet). It is therefore distinctly possible trees in the 110-120m height
range
did exist!
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LEFT: A masterpiece of
nature. Affectionately known as the "Old Man Tree"" this photo taken in
1895
at Beech Forest is of one of their bigger trees. John Birrer Snr & Jnr
and Mr. Mckay a teacher strike a puny pose in front of an awe
inspiring trunk. Unfortunately we have no
measurements on
this massive tree from this date except for its 78 feet (23.8 metre)
girth at
the base.
Many people have disputed the early settler's measurements of heights
and diameters/girths of these trees. We can perform a simple experiment
with this photo to test the accuracy of this measurement by using the
people in this photo.
Even though we don't know their height the average height of a male
back then was about 170cm (5' 6"). Unlike today, people six foot
and over were extremely rare due to the poor nutrition available.
Measuring across the base of the tree it is approximately four people
in diameter. This means the tree is about 6.8m in diameter. While trees
are not perfectly round we can estimate its circumference (girth) from
Pythagoras' theorem of 2xPIExRADIUS. This gives us an approximate
circumference of 21.4m (70 feet). We can compare this with the
historical measurement of 78 feet and we can see it comes quite close.
As the Mountain Ash usually had large buttressed roots around its base
(meaning it had bulges and wasn't perfectly circular) we can see the
quoted measurement is quite valid.
This is a great photo as we get an idea on the size and possible height
of such a tree. The trunk doesn't appear to taper much in the first in
the first 10m
and its diameter is still approximately four metres at ten metres above
the ground!
We can only guess at its height but it is very possible it was 100
metres plus. Again we can use Pythagoras's' theorem to get a rough idea
of a
volume such a tree could've had. Allowing for some tapering of its
trunk (we could assume the 4m diameter extended up to 50m high and then
tapered to 0.5m at its top) the volume of wood in this tree could've
easily been 700 cubic metres. Depending on the amount of trunk
tapering, this volume could easily be higher!
This compares with the height of 79 metres and a measly volume of 439
cubic metres of "El Grande" - the currently largest (not tallest)
Mountain Ash found recently in Tasmania and accidentally ddestroyed
during
logging operations.
LEFT (colour photo): In comparison
the General Sherman Sequoia
Gigantea pictured left is generally believed to be the largest living
organism on earth. It has been measured at 84m in height, has 11.1m
base diameter and a base circumference of 31.1m. This gives the tree a calculated
volume of approximately 1400 cubic metres! I have tried to scale the
photo so the people are roughly the same size for comparison between
the two trees.
Which tree is bigger - the Sequoia Gigantea or the Mountain Ash? Could
the "Old Man Tree have been bigger than the General Sherman.....?
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(click on image for a
bigger picture) - Image courtesy of the Knox Collection/R.H. Knox
Collection (Colac Historical Society)
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LEFT: Another beauty in 1889, this time 80 feet (24.4m) in
circumference at the
base. Unfortunately height unknown.
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(click on image for a
bigger picture) - Image courtesy of the Knox Collection/R.H. Knox
Collection (Colac Historical Society)
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A more well known photo of Mr John Gardner, one of the founders of
Beech Forest using a big tree
for a stable. The height of tree when growing is unknown, but base
diameter was
approximately 7m and it could hold five horses. It was common practice
for the big trees to be used as
houses, sheds and even churches by the early settlers!
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(click on image for a
bigger picture) - Image courtesy of the Knox Collection/R.H. Knox
Collection (Colac Historical Society)
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A giant Mountain Ash see-saw on a farm in Weeaproinah. Note the brave
individuals perched on each end!
As well as holding height records, was this the world's biggest see-saw?
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(click on image for a bigger
picture)
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The Last Mohican? The beautiful
Melba Gully walk (named after the world famous Australian opera singer)
is noted for its glow worms at night and has one of the last big trees
in the Otways.
In the rain forest a 300 plus year old messmate gives visitors to the
area an idea of what the big trees were like in the area. Although it
is not a Mountain Ash (several other tree species can reach formidable
sizes in Australia) it has a large girth, however it is only "short"
(approx. 25m).
This tree would
have been considered small back in 1890! If you're careful when you
travel through the area you can sometimes spot an old stump on a farm,
a reminder of the past.
I visited some nearby Ash forests and found some trees starting to
get largish trunks (some to 2m diameter) but many had their tops broken
off in a recent storm denting their contention for a future record.
Maybe if the rest are left alone and no intense bush fires
come through the area........
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