Handing over custodianship of a life's work

THE owners of a unique Otways property that is home to some of the world’s rarest trees and plants are pondering who will be the next custodians of a collection that has taken them over half a lifetime to establish.

Alistair and Julie Watt say they’re not yet ready to leave their Lavers Hill home, but approaching 80 they acknowledge that the time will come and it’s unclear who would be willing to buy a property as unique as theirs, given it comes with great responsibility.

The pair have spent decades traveling to countries including China, New Caledonia and Chile, where they’ve sought out rare tree and plant species and bought them back to Australia and their Lavers Hill garden.

Their efforts have been gratefully received by botanical gardens around the country, with Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong and Hobart taking cuttings and seeds.

The Watt’s property was a bare block when they bought it.

“It’s very satisfying to walk past and see your plants there,” he said of a new bed being worked on at the Geelong Botanic gardens.

They are proud of their work and it’s not gone unnoticed. Mr Watts is a longstanding member of the International Dendrology Society that promotes the study and enjoyment of trees and other woody plants, and is committed to protecting and conserving rare and endangered plant species worldwide.

Many of the plants in their garden are just beginning their journey in life.Some, like the Huon pine, take thousands of years to mature so the Watts are hopeful their garden will be preserved as a bank for the world’s ecology.

The question is: who will be as committed as they?

Their two sons live in Melbourne, and are not part of a succession plan.

“You put it off as long as possible, but my back is pushing it to the front,” he quipped of when the time to sell will come.

The Watts have spent a lifetime travelling the world together, seeking out rare and unique trees and plants.

“Apart from failing eyesight, failing hearing, aching bones, we’re not doing too bad.”

Some have suggested handing it over to the National Trust or a similar institution, but that’s unfeasible as they need the money from its sale.

“It wouldn’t be an option financially; all the buckets of superannuation have gone into building the garden,” Mr Watt’s said.

“What we really would like is to find a gardening buyer who would want to continue building on what we have done in the last four decades or so, and us to live nearby to give advice if it were required.”The Watts’ secret garden in Lavers Hill.