TREE DETAILS
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Common Name : |
Moodjar, W.A. Christmas Bush, |
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Scientific Name : |
Nuytsia floribunda |
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Circumference : |
3.75 metres (147 inches) |
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Height : |
15.00 metres (49 feet) |
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Crown : |
12.00 metres (39 feet) |
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Points : |
206 |
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State : |
WA |
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Town : |
Gelorup |
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Access : |
Public |
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Location : |
Bunbury Outer Ring Rd Reserve |
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Nominator : |
Greater Bunbury Aboriginal Group, Dennis Jetta |
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Year Measured : |
2019 |
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Age : |
300 |
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Type : |
Remnant |
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Comments : |
This very large Moojar, or Western Australian Christmas tree, is in very healthy condition. Its double trunks create a very distinctive ‘V’ for Victory shape, hence its colloquial name within the Gelorup community. Its foliage is dense and dark green and at a height of 15 metres it towers over surrounding moojar. It is the second largest moojar tree in the World, and stands about 100m NE from the largest, which is also listed in this directory. Moojars are hemi-parasitic, and as such, this would be the world’s second largest and probably one of the oldest mistletoes. This tree stands amongst a very large grove of hundreds of moojars, woody pears, tuarts, marris, jarrahs, peppermint trees, banksias and ‘snottygobble’ trees. The Moojar is a very sacred tree for the Indigenous people of WA. The traditional belief is that the spirits of recently deceased ancestors are absorbed by the roots and in summer, when the trees ‘light up’ with a spectacular dense display of bright orange flowers, the spirits are released to travel west across the ocean to the land of their ancestors. As the temporary resting places of recently deceased, these trees are treated with great reverence by Indigenous people. This nomination is for the second largest Moojar, which is only 100m or so from the largest. It is younger and taller, and its foliage is in very good condition. The two trees along with one other (which is only 2.6m in circumference) mark the main transept of the grove of Moojars. There are also dozens of very large old spiral trees, mostly marris, in the area. The spirals can be genetic, or they can be induced when the tree is very young by cutting a spiral incision around the trunk. This was done by the Indigenous people to mark the burial site of an important person. So there is no doubt this is a very significant ancient Aboriginal burial ground, which we are working with Mr Jetta and the rest of the Greater Bunbury Aboriginal Community Elders Group to protect. |
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