HISTORY OF
THE TEWANTIN-NOOSA GARDEN CLUB
LOGO TREE
This big old white fig tree still stands in the heart of Tewantin overlooking the Noosa river. It is not the prominent feature it once was and is a little harder to find now that the town has grown up around it. Unforunatly time has not been kind and the white fig is showing serious signs of age. At some point the trunk was filled with concrete to prolong its life, regardless this tree has presence. Looking at it with its scars and bedraggled limbs makes you wish trees could talk, imagine the stories this one could tell.
The white fig was adopted as the official logo of the Tewantin-Noosa Garden Club in 1994
Ficus sirens - var. sublanceolata -common name white fig
This is possibly the first known photo showing the Ficus virens in Tewantin - approx 1885.
View of Tewantin township and white fig tree, overlooking the Noosa River, circa 1890
View of Tewantin , Gooloi Street (Poinciana Ave), circa 1920
View of Tewantin War Memorial Town Square, circa 1931
This photo shows the Fig tree as it stood in front of the Tewantin Post Office , circa 1964.
The white fig is still standing today although it is showing signs of age.
The tree was adopted as the official logo of the
Tewantin-Noosa Garden Club in 1994
As written on Plaque:
At this site was an aboriginal burial tree and later a popular meeting place for the Tewantin pioneers. Below this site paddle wheel steamers docked for timber from the 1870's.
General information about the Tewantin-Noosa Club Logo Ficus sirens - var. sublanceolata -common name white fig
Ficus virens is a large tree in excess of 30 metres tall, with a trunk diameter exceeding 1.8 metres. It can be semi-deciduous. Heavily buttressed at the base. The bark is smooth and grey with various bumps and lenticels on the trunk. Small branches smooth, but with scars of leaf stipules. Leaves form with the stipules, and they are shed when the leaf develops.
Leaves are alternate on the stem, 5 to 20 cm long, 2.5 to 6 cm wide. Ovate lanceolate in shape. Leaves thin, shiny green above, duller paler green below. Leaves with a short but noticeable tip, often curling to one side. Leaf base somewhat rounded. Leaf stalks narrow and long, 2 to 5 cm in length.
Flowers form within a receptacle, a syconium. Flowers pollinated by fig wasps within the fig. The mature fig changes to a white, pinkish or brown colour with red spots, 10 mm in diameter, almost stalkless on the stem. Fruit ripe in Australia mostly June to August, or at all times during the year.
The figs eaten by a large variety of birds including Australasian figbird, green catbird, Lewin's honeyeater, topknot pigeon and pied currawong. Regeneration is achieved from fresh seed and cuttings. The marcotting technique of propagation is suited to Ficus virens var. sublanceolata.
Suited to parks and large gardens as an ornamental tree. Often seen planted in Australian parks and botanic gardens. The timber is of no commercial use