View source for Tree of Knowledge (Australia)

{{about|the tree in Barcaldine associated with the labour movement|the tree in Camooweal|Tree of Knowledge, Camooweal|other uses|Tree of Knowledge (disambiguation){{!}}Tree of Knowledge}}
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Tree of Knowledge (Australia)
| image = Tree of knowledge 1.jpg
| caption = The Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine, 1997
| locmapin = Queensland
| map_caption = 
| coordinates = {{coord|-23.5523|145.2897|region:AU-QLD_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| location = Oak Street, [[Barcaldine, Queensland|Barcaldine]], [[Barcaldine Region]], [[Queensland]], Australia
| beginning_label = Design period
| beginning_date = 1870s–1890s (late 19th century)
| built = 1891–1891
| built_for = 
| demolished = 
| architect = 
| architecture = 
| owner = 
| designation1 = Queensland Heritage Register
| designation1_offname = Tree of Knowledge
| designation1_type = state heritage (landscape)
| designation1_date = 21 October 1992
| delisted1_date = 
| designation1_partof = 
| designation1_number = 600021
| designation1_free1name = Significant period
| designation1_free1value = 1891 (historical)
| designation1_free2name = Significant components
| designation1_free2value = memorial – plaque, flagpole/flagstaff, memorial/monument
| designation1_free3name = Builders
| designation1_free3value = 
}}
[[Image:Tree of knowledge monument 1.jpg|thumb|The preserved trunk of Tree of Knowledge as it currently stands in [[Barcaldine, Queensland]].]]
The '''Tree of Knowledge''' was a heritage-listed tree in Oak Street, [[Barcaldine, Queensland|Barcaldine]], [[Barcaldine Region]], [[Queensland]], Australia, that was poisoned and killed in 2006. It was a 200-year-old ''[[Corymbia aparrerinja]]'' ghost gum.<ref name=asgap>{{cite web|title=Eucalypts but not Eucalyptus|url=http://anpsa.org.au/APOL2/jun96-5.html|author=Walters, Brian|work=Australian Plants Online|publisher=Australian Native Plants Society|accessdate=30 July 2015|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530230417/http://anpsa.org.au/APOL2/jun96-5.html |archivedate=30 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It was added to the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992.<ref name="qhr">{{cite QHR|14796|Tree of Knowledge|600021|accessdate=1 August 2014}}</ref>

The town was the headquarters of the [[1891 Australian shearers' strike]] and the tree was the site of the 1892 reading of the Labour Party manifesto leading to the formation of the [[Australian Labor Party]] (ALP).<ref>{{SLQ-CC-BY|url=https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/charles-seymour-papers-1880-1924-treasure-collection-john-oxley-library|title=Charles Seymour Papers 1880-1924: Treasure collection of the John Oxley Library|date=8 November 2021|authors=Anne Scheu|access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref>

== History ==
The Tree of Knowledge was a [[ghost gum]] located in front of the [[Barcaldine railway station, Queensland|Barcaldine railway station]] under which the workers of the 1891 Shearer's Strike met. An icon of the Labor Party and Trades Unions, it symbolises the foundation of the organised representation of labour in Queensland.<ref name="qhr" />

Barcaldine sprang up in 1886 as the terminus of the [[Central Western railway line, Queensland|Central Western railway]]. The area was already settled by [[Pastoral farming|pastoralists]] and had previously been centred on [[Blackall, Queensland|Blackall]]. Large sheep stations were like small townships with their own working facilities, stores, worker's accommodation and tradesmen such as blacksmiths. The owners and managers of these stations had considerable power to dictate terms to an itinerant workforce of [[sheep shearer]]s recruited for the shearing season. Poor working conditions, low pay and the threat of competition from cheap foreign labour caused discontent within the industry.<ref name="qhr" />

Barcaldine was a natural focus for the development of unionism. As the railhead, the town drew many seasonal and casual workers. Besides shearers and hands there were navvies who had worked on the construction of the railway and carriers who had found their work reduced by it. Difficulties in finding work and financial hardship helped to build a sense of mateship and mutual support amongst sections of them. In 1887, the Central Queensland Carriers Union was formed, and discussions leading up to this are said to have been held under the gum tree which provided shade where carriers waited at the front of the railway station. At the same time, the [[Queensland Shearers Union|Queensland Shearers' Union]] was formed at Blackall. Within a year, it had 1,300 members, indicating a perceived need for collective bargaining to obtain fair pay and working conditions. In 1888, the Central Queensland Labourers' Union was formed at Barcaldine. These three unions were the driving force behind the strike of 1891.<ref name="qhr" />

In [[Brisbane]], the [[Trades and Labour Council of Queensland|Trades and Labour Council]] was formed in 1885 and in 1889 became the [[Australian Labour Federation]]. At Barcaldine in the same year the Pastoral Employers' Association was founded in response and moved to reduce pay rates. Many workers now joined the unions, pushing membership of the Shearers Union over 3000 and the Labourer's Union to 2,250. Only severe wet weather in 1890 delayed a confrontation. By January 1891 union representatives had gathered at Barcaldine for meetings and pastoralists were pressing shearers to sign freedom of contract forms. A [[Strike action|strike]] was called and employers began to import non-union labour from the south. Strikers, some of whom were armed, gathered at Barcaldine and set up a camp at Lagoon Creek and other places around the town.<ref name="herqldout">{{Cite book|title=Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback|last=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland)|author-link=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland)|publisher=State of Queensland|year=2002|isbn=0-7345-1040-3|page=47}}</ref><ref name="qhr" />

The [[Queensland Government]] dispatched police and soldiers to the area and the strikers responded by [[Military parade|drilling]] and staging [[torchlight procession]]s in the town. As the non-union labour, police, and soldiers usually arrived by rail, strikers would rally outside the railway station to block their arrival and protest. Consequently, the tree in front of the station, the Tree of Knowledge, was the location of many meetings and a focus for protest.<ref name="herqldout" /> In March 1891, the situation escalated as carriers and railway workers [[Solidarity action|went out in sympathy]] and military reinforcements arrived. Barcaldine became the focus of the whole country's interest and armed conflict was expected. However, heavy rain which limited movement and the arrest of leaders slowed momentum and strikers began to disperse. On 15 June, the strike was officially called off. It had failed, but was to have far-reaching effects. In 1892, at the foot of the tree, the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party dated 9 September 1892 was read out, leading to the formation of the Labor Party in Queensland.<ref name="qhr" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.magsq.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=312|title=UNESCO First for State Library of Queensland|publisher=Museum & Gallery Services Queensland|work=Industry News|accessdate=24 February 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325004534/http://www.magsq.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=312|archivedate=25 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The manifesto is considered one of the foundation documents of the current [[Australian Labor Party]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2008/06/24/manifesto-of-the-queensland-labour-party-recognised-nationally/|title=Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party recognised nationally|date=24 June 2008|publisher=[[State Library of Queensland]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325061224/http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/2008/06/24/manifesto-of-the-queensland-labour-party-recognised-nationally/|archive-date=25 March 2017|url-status=live|access-date=25 March 2017}}</ref> and is now held by the [[State Library of Queensland]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-09-08|title=125th anniversary of the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party {{!}} State Library Of Queensland|url=https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/125th-anniversary-manifesto-queensland-labour-party|access-date=2021-03-22|website=www.slq.qld.gov.au|language=en}}</ref> In 2008, the manifesto was added to UNESCO's [[Memory of the World Programme|Memory of the World]] Australian Register and in 2009, the document was added to UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register.<ref>{{Cite web|title=OM69-18 Charles Seymour Papers 1880-1924|url=http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=slq_alma21148463600002061&vid=SLQ&search_scope=DT&tab=dt&lang=en_US&context=L|access-date=2021-03-22|website=State Library of Queensland}}</ref>

Because the area beneath the Tree of Knowledge was the scene of actions and decisions which had a profound effect on the future of labour and politics in Australia, it has become an icon of the Labor Party and Trades Unions. It is also important to the people of Barcaldine as a symbol of the town's identity and historical importance. This is reflected by the name chosen for the commemoration committee formed in 1987, the Tree of Knowledge Development Committee, and by the care given to the tree. In 1990, it was discovered that the tree was infested by termites and other insects and had severe health problems. Treatment by a tree surgeon, pest control and flushing of the root system with thousands of litres of water gave the tree a new lease of life. This treatment was completed in late 1993.<ref name="qhr" />

In 1991, there were major celebrations at Barcaldine to mark the centenary of the Shearers' Strike. In preparation for this, the area around the tree was landscaped and a memorial to the strikers erected within the enclosure.<ref name="qhr" />

In 2006, the tree was poisoned with [[glyphosate]] (a main ingredient in the [[herbicide]] [[RoundUp]]). An [[arborist]] declared the tree dead on 3 October 2006. The ALP offered a reward of A$10,000 for any information that would help identify those responsible.

The remains of the tree were removed on 29 July 2007. According to a Queensland Government release<ref>[http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=55477 Tree of knowledge receiving world-class the treatment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706122533/http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=55477 |date=6 July 2011 }}. 4 December 2007. Ministerial Media Statement. Tim Mulherin.</ref> the tree is undergoing a process of wood preservation and the remains of the tree – {{convert|7|m}} tall and {{convert|2|m}} across – are being transferred to a special preservation facility.

Several cuttings propagated from the tree before its death are now growing in Barcaldine. In 2008, the tree was successfully [[Cloning|cloned]] in by workers at the former [[Queensland Department of Primary Industries]].<ref name="tkc">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/30/2231010.htm|title=Tree of Knowledge cloned|date=30 April 2008|work=[[ABC News Online]]|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|author=Chrissy Arthur|access-date=30 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414051723/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/30/2231010.htm|archive-date=14 April 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> A clone of the tree has also been planted at the Ecosciences Precinct in Brisbane.<ref>[http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=77857 'Last' Tree of Knowledge finds home at Ecosciences Precinct]. 27 November 2011. Ministerial Media Statement. Anna Bligh.</ref>

A new memorial on the site of the remains of the original tree (costing about A$5M) was officially opened on 2 May 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-05-02/barcaldine-unveils-tree-of-knowledge-memorial/1670386|title=Barcaldine unveils Tree of Knowledge memorial|date=2 May 2009|work=[[ABC News Online]]|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=15 January 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819130349/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-05-02/barcaldine-unveils-tree-of-knowledge-memorial/1670386|archivedate=19 August 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The memorial won The Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage Architecture and a National Commendation for Public Architecture at the 2010 National Architecture Awards of the [[Australian Institute of Architects]].<ref>[http://architectureau.com/articles/barcaldine-tree-of-knowledge-1/ Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge Memorial] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130216065515/http://architectureau.com/articles/barcaldine-tree-of-knowledge-1/ |date=16 February 2013 }}. 30 June 2011. Architecture Australia.</ref>

In 2009, as part of the [[Q150]] celebrations, the Tree of Knowledge was also announced as one of the [[Q150 Icons]] of Queensland for its role as a "location".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|title=PREMIER UNVEILS QUEENSLAND'S 150 ICONS|last=Bligh|first=Anna|author-link=Anna Bligh|date=10 June 2009|publisher=[[Queensland Government]]|url-status=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524033717/http://statements.qld.gov.au/statement/id/64301|archive-date=24 May 2017|access-date=24 May 2017}}</ref>

On 19 April 2011 Prime Minister [[Julia Gillard]] joined ACT Chief Minister [[Jon Stanhope]] at the [[National Arboretum Canberra]] in a ceremonial planting of a tree grown from an original cutting of the Tree of Knowledge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.burhor.com.au/about/media.html#Tree_Of_Knowledge|title=Prime Minister Julia Gillard plants sapling grown from cutting of the Labor Party Tree of Knowledge at The National Arboretum Canberra|publisher=BurHor – Arborists and Landscapers (Open Space Managers for the National Arboretum Canberra)|accessdate=25 October 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130409104839/http://www.burhor.com.au/about/media.html#Tree_Of_Knowledge|archivedate=9 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/resources/events/Planting_of_Tree_of_Knowledge_by_Julia_Gillard|title=PM Plants 'Tree of Knowledge' at Arboretum|date=19 April 2011|publisher=National Arboretum Canberra|accessdate=24 January 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410172301/http://www.nationalarboretum.act.gov.au/resources/events/Planting_of_Tree_of_Knowledge_by_Julia_Gillard|archivedate=10 April 2013|work=[[National Arboretum Canberra]]|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Description ==
{{Update section|date=March 2017}}
The Tree of Knowledge is a ghost gum (''[[Corymbia aparrerinja]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://anpsa.org.au/APOL2/jun96-5.html|title=Eucalypts...but not Eucalyptus|website=anpsa.org.au|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530230417/http://anpsa.org.au/APOL2/jun96-5.html|archivedate=30 May 2015|accessdate=10 July 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>) situated outside the railway station in the main street of Barcaldine. Early photographs show a wider canopy than existed at the time of the tree's demise. At the foot of the tree is a plaque which says:<blockquote>This plaque commemorates the loyalty, courage, and sacrifice in 1891 of the stalwart men and women of the west from whom, beneath this tree, emerged Australia's labour and political movement.<ref name="qhr" /></blockquote>The Tree of Knowledge is protected by a modern metal fence and the area surrounding it is bordered by a low rail composed of evenly spaced lengths of log and is landscaped with flowering shrubs. This area also contains a flagpole and a bronze and granite monument symbolising shear blades which was erected in 1991 to commemorate the centenary of the Shearer's Strike.<ref name="qhr" />

== Heritage listing ==
Tree of Knowledge was listed on the [[Queensland Heritage Register]] on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.<ref name="qhr" />

'''The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.'''

The Tree of Knowledge was a key site during the Shearer's Strike in 1891, a confrontation between capital and labour that was a major event in Queensland's history. The strike was a watershed in the development of the labour movement and the formation of the Australian Labor Party.<ref name="qhr" />

'''The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.'''

The Tree of Knowledge is closely linked with the cultural identity of Barcaldine and has a strong association with its people.<ref name="qhr" />

'''The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.'''

The Tree of Knowledge has a special association with the history of the Australian Labor Party and with the Trades Union movement in Queensland.<ref name="qhr" />

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia}}
* [[List of individual trees]]
*[[List of named Eucalyptus trees|List of named ''Eucalyptus'' trees]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Attribution ===
{{QHR-CC-2014-contains}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Tree of Knowledge (Australia)}}
{{wikinews|Historic 'Tree of Knowledge' dies}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060907183816/http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/national/sites/tree.html Department of the Environment and Heritage: National Heritage Values for the Tree of Knowledge ]
* [http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=55477 Cabinet.qld.gov−Ministerial media statement: Tree of Knowledge receiving world-class treatment]
* [https://archive.today/20070311010615/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2387136,00.html/ TimesOnline.co.uk: 'Death of the Tree of Knowledge' article]
*[https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/125th-anniversary-manifesto-queensland-labour-party 125th anniversary of the Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party]
*[http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/permalink/f/1upgmng/slq_alma21148463600002061 OM69-18 Charles Seymour Papers 1880-1924] - View a digitised version of the ''Manifesto of the Queensland Labour Party.''

{{Australian Labor Party}}
{{Queensland}}

[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Queensland]]
[[Category:Barcaldine, Queensland]]
[[Category:Australian Labor Party]]
[[Category:Individual eucalypts]]
[[Category:Individual trees in Queensland]]
[[Category:2000s individual tree deaths]]
[[Category:2009 sculptures]]
[[Category:Outdoor sculptures in Australia]]<!--sculptural pergola over preserved dead tree-->
[[Category:Australian National Heritage List]]
[[Category:Queensland Heritage Register]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Queensland]]<!--sculptural pergola over preserved dead tree-->
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2009]]<!--sculptural pergola over preserved dead tree-->
[[Category:2006 crimes in Australia]]<!--poisoned + killed 2006-->
[[Category:Destroyed individual trees]]
<!--poisoned + killed 2006-->
[[Category:Landmarks in Queensland]]<!--sculptural pergola over preserved dead tree-->
[[Category:Articles incorporating text from the Queensland Heritage Register]]