In the middle of Barcaldine in western Queensland stands a resurrected ghost gum (Corymbia aparrerinja). This reconstructed tree, Tree of Knowledge, is the spiritual birthplace of the Australian Labor Party and a symbol of the 1891 shearers\u2019 strike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And whilst the living tree was poisoned in 2006 with glyphosate for reasons that remain unknown, despite arborists\u2019 efforts to save it, the tree was declared dead in October that year. Although its death was a loss felt across the region, the tree\u2019s journey from decline to preservation and eventual reconstruction has become a remarkable example of heritage conservation and local scientific expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more than a century, the Tree of Knowledge served as a gathering point for unionists and workers. For many Australians, it was more than a tree; it was part of the nation\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n