Significant Trees
The National Trust of South Australia has been involved in the conservation of significant trees for many years and in 1983 it established a Register of Significant Trees to help identify and conserve trees of importance to the South Australian community. Please click on the link below for more information.
Why conserve Significant Trees?
The National Trust of South Australia and Significant Trees
NTSA Significant Tree Committee
NTSA Register of Significant Trees
Nominating a tree to the register
What are Significant Trees?
The National Trust of South Australia considers trees to be Significant if they are outstanding and therefore deserving of special protection because of their rarity, appearance, natural or cultural importance. This may be on the basis of outstanding age, size, aesthetic merit, connection to an important historic event, scientific value, Aboriginal importance or occurrence in a unique location or context. For more information see the NTSA Significant Tree Conservation Policy.
In South Australia some trees protected by legislation are also called Significant Trees. The Development Act 1993 (SA) applies to trees that are listed in council development plans or on local heritage lists. The Act applies to certain trees in Metropolitan Adelaide and townships of the Adelaide Hills Council and The District Councuil of Mount Barker, where the tree has a trunk circumference of 2.0 metres or more at a point 1.0 metre above the ground (trees with multiple trunks are also covered by the legislation). For more information contact your local council or Department of Planning anf Local Government.
In responding to the proposed Development (Regulated Trees) Amendement Act 2009 (passed by Parliament on 17th November 2009), the Trust's Significant Tree and Natural Heritage Advsiory Committees developed the Trust's position paper Significant Trees and the Urban Forest - Planning Principles for Their Conservation.
It is anticipated the Development (Regulated Trees) Amendement Act 2009 will be finally enacted in November 2011 once the drafting of the new Regulations to support the Act amendments is completed.
Why conserve Significant Trees?
Significant Trees should be conserved because they have certain qualities that are important to us for a variety of environmental, social and economic reasons. They help us define our identity or connection to a place or region within South Australia. They may contribute to the character and amenity of the area, assist in biodiversity conservation, or provide shade and shelter for people and fauna habitats.
The National Trust of South Australia and Significant Trees
In 1981 the National Trust of South Australia resolved to establish a register of significant trees in response to the ‘Year of the Tree’. At this time several local Adelaide landmark trees were being threatened by development. By February 1983 a steering committee of amateur and professional horticulturalists and botanists was established, and nominations were being received and entered on the register. Since then over 600 trees have been registered for their rarity or aesthetic, natural, historic or cultural value to the community.
Examples of Significant Trees in South Australia
Click on the links below to view examples of significant trees in South Australia.
No. 122 Herbig’s Tree, Springton
No. 178 Circle Of Oaks, Gumeracha
No. 179 Platanus hybrida (Avenue Of Trees), Frome Road, Adelaide
No. 180 Myoporum platycartpum, Folland Park, Enfield
No. 186 Araucaria bidwillii (Stand Of Trees), Belair National Park
No. 204 Carya illinoensis, Coromandel Valley
No. 239 Cazneaux’s Tree, Flinders Ranges
No. 292 Santalum acuminatum, Quorn
No. 300 Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Currency Creek
Significant Tree Committee
The Significant Tree Committee meets once every two months and is represented by people with skills in botany, landscape architecture, town planning, local government and tree management. The Significant Tree Committee is part of the Trust’s Natural Heritage Advisory Committee and its aims are as follows:
- To establish a state-wide inventory of significant trees (cultural, historic, aesthetic, botanical and scientific).
- To promote the conservation and enhancement of trees and vegetation, recognising their context and position in cultural landscapes.
- To act as a catalyst to facilitate and assist in promoting and enabling tree and vegetation conservation.
NTSA Register of Significant Trees
The Register of Significant Trees has a current list of over 600 significant trees in South Australia. The Register provides a process for determining significance which is documented and may be used to support conservation measures in the future.
Important: Acceptance of the nominated tree to the National Trust Register of Significant Trees does not ensure the safety of the tree to persons or property. Furthermore, acceptance to the register does not ensure the ongoing protection of the tree as the Significant Tree Register does not have any legislative force.
Nominating a tree to the register
The committee is now accepting nominations to the Register of Significant Trees. To nominate a tree to the register contact the National Trust of South Australia to determine if the tree is already listed. Nomination forms can be downloaded from this website.
Download: Significant Trees Nomination Form
Nominations should be emailed to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or sent to
The Significant Tree Committee
National Trust of South Australia
631 Glynburn Road, BEAUMONT SA 5066.
Once your nomination has been received the Significant Tree Committee will assess the nomination and if accepted will be assigned one of two categories: Classified (State or National Significance) or Recorded (Regional or Local Significance).
The person(s) nominating the tree will be advised of the outcome.