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One of the largest known stumps
in Australia on photographic
record -
the famed Bulga Stump. 11.3m diameter (34m circumference at breast
height). The caption states "will hold eleven horses inside". Height
was unknown as when discovered it was a broken stag (top broken off)
in the 19th century. Its stump was burned up in 1939 bush fires. If you
look very carefully at the photo a settlers hut complete with smoking
chimney is visible in the background right.
It was a regular tourist attraction and was issued as a series of
postcards.
It also shows some photographic trickery. While the tree and forest and
most of the people in the photo are real, the two small children on the
far right have been added in later. It is very likely that this is an
extended family photo with possibly the two young children not being
able to be present and were added to the photo
at a later date as was sometimes the custom back in the Victorian era.
Photo care of national Library.
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Another tree from the Tara Bulga area. Local timber merchants
found many trees just too big for the axe! The easier method of
destruction by early settlers was to ring bark the
trees. Rotting hulks dotted the landscape for decades once the forest
was cleared.
Photo care of National Library.
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At another unspecified location in Gippsland, a horse & cart fit
easily in the burnt out hulk of this tree while another unknown family
pose in front of another giant. Heights unknown.
Photo care of National Library.
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A farmer uses a big tree as a workshop.
Photo care of the National Library of Austrailia.
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Another farmer leads his horses straight throgh the middle of a burnt
out stump.
This was a colourised post card of the time and a photo taken by
Nicholas Caire.
Photo care of the National Library of Austrailia.
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