Quirky stories behind big old oaks

THIS month, the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens are encouraging people to discover species in the green space’s collection they may never have explored before.

“Everyone knows about the begonias, and this year’s display is in the conservatory until the end of May, but they’re just one of many plant collections in the Gardens,” FBBG president Terry O’Brien said.

“During the Ballarat Heritage Festival, we are focussing on the oaks collection.”

Between Saturday, 21 and Sunday, 29 May, FBBG volunteers are running activities and education sessions about the Gardens’ 24 different species of oak trees, targeted at all ages, with family activities, tours full of quirky stories, a sit-down talk, and exhibition on offer.

“From the small beginnings of an acorn, big things grow. Some of our oaks were planted late 1800s and now add to the grandeur in these gardens. What a legacy has been left for us to enjoy,” Mr O’Brien said.

“The Turkey oak, or quercus cerris, at the northern end of the Prime Ministers’ Avenue, has the largest canopy of this species in Victoria at about 30 metres.

“It is such a significant tree of this species that it is heritage registered, as are others in the Gardens.”

Although they may seem very old to humans, the oaks at the Ballarat Botanical Gardens are young in the grand scheme of things.

“The English oak is regarded as the king of the forest in Britain and has the potential to live up to 1000 years, with a height of up to 40 metres,” Mr O’Brien said.

“There is something magnificent and powerful about these large trees that makes us humans quite insignificant and transient.

“Stand at the base of the druids oak located behind the Craft Cottage and see if you agree.”

Mr O’Brien said oaks do not only provide impressive shade, but are drought-tolerant due to their deep root system, and their leaves are less flammable.

The free Ballarat’s Mighty Oaks exhibition is running all through Heritage Festival in the Statuary Pavilion.

Horticulturalist and former Heritage Council of Victoria advisor John Hawker will present a talk, Celebrating the Oak, on Sunday, 22 May from 2pm to 4pm at the Robert Clark Horticultural Centre. An afternoon tea will follow. Visit bit.ly/3wqwWad for tickets.

At the conclusion of Heritage Fest on National Botanic Gardens Day, Sunday, 29 May, FBBG guides will lead a free Quirky Stories Behind the Oaks walking tour from outside the conservatory at 2pm.

Meanwhile, children’s program BotaniKIDS will facilitate Family Oak Fun activities on the same day from 10am to 12pm. Visit facebook.com/ballaratbotaniKIDS to book.