By Fatma Younis
A ginkgo tree in Geelong Botanic Gardens has been crowned Victoria's Tree of the Year for 2026, winning 27% of 4,435 public votes in a competition run by the National Trust of Australia (Victoria).
The tree, planted in 1859 from seeds brought from China, stands 20 metres tall and is believed to be the largest ginkgo biloba in the state, possibly in Australia. Its distinctive stalactite-like growths appear only on older female ginkgos.
167-Year History
The ginkgo was among the first trees planted in the gardens, just two decades after Geelong's formal establishment. Generations of garden staff and volunteers have cared for it, and it has become a popular wedding backdrop, described by the City of Greater Geelong as the setting for "countless local love stories."
Public Vote and Finalists
More than 40 trees were nominated this year, narrowed to nine finalists by a panel of 12 experts. The smooth bark apple myrtle in Prahran placed second, and Apollo Bay's myrtle beech came third. The award, established in 2016, aims to celebrate beloved trees and advocate for green space protection.
Calls for Stronger Tree Protection
National Trust Victoria executive manager Justin Buckley said the competition highlights inadequate legal protection for significant trees compared to heritage buildings. He urged the Victorian government to grant automatic statutory protection to registered trees and adopt a "retain first" planning principle. A recent urban greening framework found over 17.9 hectares of tree canopy lost on private land in inner Melbourne over the past decade.
