Thursday 26 January 2012

MELBOURNE STREET TREES 6

Happy Australia Day, Everyone!


A beautiful tree found planted on many a nature strip and garden in Melbourne is Acacia baileyana (Cootamundra Wattle), which is the floral emblem of the small rural township of Cootamundra which is located on the western slopes of New South Wales, about 350 km southwest of Sydney.


Cootamundra Wattle is a well-known Australian species, principally on account of its popularity in cultivation (both within Australia and abroad). In 1986 its profile was enhanced following the release of John Williamson’s song "Cootamundra Wattle". The species is featured on an Australian stamp and appears in many popular and scientific publications, for example, Archibald Campbell’s book Golden Wattle which was published in 1921.


Acacia baileyana was originally described by Baron von Mueller in 1888, based on a plant cultivated in 1876 at Bowen Park, Brisbane, by the Queensland botanist, Frederick Manson Bailey (after whom the species was named). Acacia baileyana has a very restricted natural distribution which is confined to the vicinity of Cootamundra, hence its common name. In its native habitat the species is found in sheltered situations, generally on elevated sites, between Stockinbingal, Temora, Cootamundra and Bethungra (a distance of only about 50 km, east to west).


Here it is seen growing along a bicycle path in Darebin Parklands, an extensive natural reserve along Darebin Creek, about 15 minutes walk from our home.


This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.




10 comments:

  1. HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY! to you, Nick! I do love your captures for the day. Beautiful trees, blossoms and colors! And what a beautiful place to walk or ride! Celebrate and enjoy!!

    Sylvia

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  2. Happy Australia Day to you too... Love the first shot with the road, beautiful...

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  3. The wattle is always a beautiful glow of gold on the dullest day! Love seeing streets lined with wattle like this!

    Hope you are enjoying the glorious weather this Australia Day! It is perfect down my peninsula way! I have been to Dromana near the pier for a free breakfast - bacon and egg roll this year instead of the usual sausage on a roll - plus great music all day! Tyabb airport provided a wonderful flyover and the water was the bluest blue by the beach! My kind of heaven!

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  4. i always think green and yellow are more patriotic for us than red/white/blue

    lovely photo of the path....so green
    everything here is browning off now

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  5. lovely photos esp the last one...

    http://thelayugan.blogspot.com/2012/01/floral-friday-fotos-2.html

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  6. it is indeed a most beautiful wattle; I love it...

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  7. Truly lovely shots!
    http://suzi-doodles.blogspot.com/

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