News Item

Demise of Old Faithfull

Spargo Creek, 1^st December 2009

Old Man Tree is no more.

All the locals from Spargo Creek and Korweinguboora, and even most people in Musk Vale and Daylesford will have passed Old Man Tree many times.

Everyone who has ever taken the back road to Ballarat over the past hundred years will have passed Old Man Tree.

On Sunday 30^th of November 2008 at 19:28 we were turned out to a tree fire on Spargo Creek road near the pine plantation.

In what only can be described as a senseless act of vandalism Old Man Tree was destroyed by people that probably did not have a clue of the historical significance and thought it would be fun to burn it.

Except for the fact that it was a windy evening and it could have easily caused a serious bush fire, it is incomprehensible how someone can get it in their head to light something that clearly is a spot regularly visited by people.

His teeth had been painted and he had a cigarette hanging from the right corner of his mouth, or the left depending whether someone thought he would have been tired of the smoke in the right corner.

For some people it was a spot to have a quiet, or not so quiet, beer and for others it brought a smile to their face when they saw it. All the kids living in the area know that strange tree that looks like an old man.

This tree stump has been a renowned resident for many decades. It was at least over 100 years old.

It was destroyed in only a couple of minutes. A sad, sad ending to the existence of a local icon.

Some people remember it from when they were 4 years of age, some 40 years ago. Other people say Old Man Tree was there at least 60 years ago.

It was a landmark. People knew that they were getting close to home when they passed Old Man Tree on their way home from Ballarat.

Below a picture of what these vandals reduced our Old Man Tree to.

If anyone has seen anything, please contact the Leonards Hill Fire Brigade on 03 5348 6701 or send an email to mdankers@mmnet.com.au