Autumn in Gippsland

Think of autumn foliage and you might be tempted to think of the Ovens Valley near Bright, or the Dandenong Ranges; but the Latrobe Valley and its environs is increasingly becoming noted for the glorious autumn tonings that can be noticed in the trees.

Those living in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range or the Strezeleckis are particularly lucky, as the rich mountain soils, slightly cooler temperatures and better than average rainfall are all conditions that colourful autumn trees love.

It is a mistake to imagine that these are English trees. Very few are native to Britain. These trees originally came from all over the world, from the Americas, Northern Asia, the Mediterranean, China and Japan. However, they particularly aroused the interest of European botanists in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries like Sir Joseph Banks, and as new species were discovered, seed was collected, taken to arboretum's such as at Kew, and soon began to grace the gardens of Europe. After European settlement in Australia, specimen trees followed.

The Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne became an early host to some of these glorious trees, and of course many species of deciduous and evergreen trees native to other parts of Australia. Some autumn foliage specimens such as the Dawn Redwood with its soft feathery pinkie-gold foliage came to our shores as late as 1947, and are still a rare sight to encounter.

The location of some older autumn foliage trees can often tell a tale of the people who went before. The people who planted them had a certain quality of foresight, because in many cases they must have known that they would never themselves live to see their tree grow to its full potential. Perhaps they were planted more for others, who would come later, to enjoy. A small group or even a solitary autumn foliage tree can sometimes be noted on a farm property, perhaps even an avenue of trees is encountered. Ask around or do a little detective work often you will find it's the site of some earlier settlement, perhaps a school, that has long since disappeared; or perhaps an avenue or solitary tree planted to commemorate some historical and important event.

Many of these lovely trees are unfortunately unsuitable for small gardens, so a planned approach to ensure that the 'pretty' tree you plant beside the house doesn't begin to wreak havoc on sewerage pipes, or threaten the home as it grows past forty metres, is essential. Your local nursery is the obvious place to seek advice on these matters, and they will be able to recommend dozens of specimens that will be suitable to plant.

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