THIS spring is the 20th anniversary of the historic discovery of the Wollemi pine in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area — and the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens at Mount Tomah are celebrating.
In September 1994 ranger David Noble stumbled across a group of strange looking trees while canyoning.
Scientists were first puzzled and then amazed: the tree was identified as being one of the world’s oldest and rarest, belonging to a family that dated back 200 million years.
It was known from fossil records and presumed extinct.
The Wollemi pine is now on the endangered species list and was recently made the first iconic plant of NSW by Environment Minister Rob Stokes, under the NSW Saving Our Species program.
In August 1998 the Gondwana Walk at Blue Mountains Botanic Garden was opened featuring 13 Wollemi pines.
National Parks and Wildlife ranger Michael Sharp — who worked with the Wollemi pines in the bush and had collected samples at the remote location over the years — was invited to plant one of the pines. He was accompanied by his wife Janie and baby son Lachlan.
The other pines were planted by people involved with the discovery and early scientific investigation, including David Noble’s mother Olive, as well as local schoolchildren.
Last week Mr Sharp and his family — who live in Mudgee — returned to the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens to plant another Wollemi in the Gondwana Walk.
Mr Sharp said ‘‘it was very special’’ to return and see his son, now 16, plant a new Wollemi pine.
The Wollemi planted last week started life as a seed collected by Graeme Errington in February 1996.
There are many Wollemi pines planted in the gardens, mostly in Gondwana but also as part of a new display in the front of the visitor centre and in the conifer area.
