Register of significant trees

• Exceptional height, trunk diameter or canopy spread
• Placement in prominent, landmark or unexpected locations
• Strong visual contribution to streetscapes, parks, gardens or natural landscapes
• Distinctive physical features or unusual growth forms, including unique pruning styles
• Representation of a notable landscape design or aesthetic tradition

• Rare species or important genetic traits, such as disease resistance, climate tolerance or valuable growth patterns
• Potential to advance scientific knowledge through use as a research, teaching or reference site

• Part of a rare, threatened or locally uncommon species or ecological community
• Remnant locally indigenous tree predating urban development
• Supports ecosystem health – through regeneration or as specialised habitat for wildlife
• Indicates a species’ former range or historic distribution
• Helps shape the local microclimate by providing shade, cooling or shelter

• Associated with significant public events or historical milestones
• Linked to heritage-listed places or reflective of a historical era
• Notable for its age or long-standing presence

• Holds deep meaning for a particular cultural group or community, including spiritual, religious or social ties
• Contributes to a community’s identity or sense of place
• Recognised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as culturally important and connected to ongoing tradition

• Dedicated to or associated with a significant individual or group – including memorial trees

Before colonisation, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation lived in deep connection with Country, managing the land sustainably by fire-stick farming, plant harvesting and trade networks.

The land supported extraordinary biodiversity, from tidal flats and forested valleys to shrubby woodlands on ridges and hilltops. These carefully managed ecosystems provided abundant food and resources, reflecting the Gadigal’s knowledge and care.

Local vegetation had evolved to suit sandstone ridges and fertile soils fed by freshwater streams flowing into Birra Birra (Sydney Harbour). Archaeological research in the Tank Stream valley shows Casuarina swamp forests once thrived in the estuary, with dense ground ferns in damp areas. Swamp Oak (Casuarina glauca) and River Oak (C. cunninghamiana) lined the stream banks, while sandstone ridges supported Angophora and Banksia species.

In April 1770, the Endeavour anchored in Kamay (now Botany Bay), home of the Gweagal people. in 1788, British settlers established a colony on Gadigal land, beginning with a farm at Woccanmagully (later Farm Cove). Over the following century, urban development spread, transforming the landscape and disrupting the ecosystems that had supported First Nations people for thousands of years.

The early 1800s saw dramatic changes to Sydney’s treescape, driven by colonial values, global plant exchange and evolving garden design.

In 1811, Governor Macquarie began enclosing the Domain, and under the influence of Mrs Macquarie, exotic trees were introduced. These changes disrupted the long-managed Indigenous landscape of the Gadigal people.

By 1814, the vision for a Government Garden at Farm Cove reflected European ideals. It began with Norfolk Island Pines (Araucaria heterophylla) and expanded with English Oaks (Quercus robur), Stone Pines (Pinus pinea) and local species such as Swamp Mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta) and Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis). Some of these early plantings survive today in the Royal Botanic Garden.

Gardens of the time were practical, based on those found at British kitchens. Fruit trees and olives were common and Sydney’s role in plant exchange grew rapidly from 1816. The Royal Botanic Garden shared Australian specimens globally, linking Sydney to Calcutta, Singapore, Jamaica and more.

Initially limited to the gentry, the Royal Botanic Garden opened to the public in 1831. Though focused on food plants, decorative species were introduced that influenced Sydney’s landscape character.

Designed landscapes and gardenesque influence

Early colonial landscapes aimed to emulate European ideals. As wealth grew, so did ambition in garden design. Grand estates such as Elizabeth Bay House, Camden Park and Brownlow Hill reflected English picturesque styles.

By the 1830s, the romantic Picturesque gave way to the more structured Gardenesque style, inspired by formal European traditions. The 1851 Great Exhibition in London popularised glasshouses and tropical plants, and Sydney embraced botanical experimentation.

Botanists and collectors such as Willian Paterson, Charles Fraser, the Cunningham brothers, John Bidwill and Ludwig Leichhardt played key roles in shaping planting trends. Their knowledge, guided by Aboriginal expertise, introduced native species still found in Sydney today.

Rainforest discoveries and broadleaf planting

While the rocky Sydney basin proved difficult for European farming methods, the lush rainforests of the Illawarra and northern NSW inspired new planting styles. Subtropical trees such as the Moreton Bay Fig (Ficus macrophylla) became centrepieces of colonial landscapes.

Promoted by Charles Moore and nursery workers including the Guilfoyles, Moreton Bay Figs were planted throughout the 19th century, alongside spectacular flowering trees such as:

• Silky Oak (Grevillea robusta)
• Blackbean (Castanospermum australe)
• Illiwarra Flame (Brachychiton acerifolius)
• Queensland Lacebark (Brachychiton discolor)
• Firewheel (Stenocarpus sinuatus).

Foliage plants included:

• Crow’s Ash (Flindersia australis)
• Plum Pine (Podocarpus elatus)
• Tuckeroo (Cupaniopsis anacardioides)
• Tulipwood (Harpullia pendula)
• Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus)
• Tulip Oak (Argyrodendron actinophyllum).

These were often mixed with broadleaf exotics like Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) and American Bull Bay Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), as well as conifers such as Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii), Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) and Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda).

Great estates and surviving trees

The great 19th century villas are remembered not only for their architecture but also for their visionary gardens. Elizabeth Bay House, granted to Alexander Macleay in 1826, became home to one of the colony’s most extensive botanical collections.

Macleay, assisted by gardener Thomas Shepherd and nursery worker Robert Henderson, embraced a Picturesque approach while retaining native vegetation. Detailed planting records and exotic fruit trees from India and the Americas created a globally inspired garden. Remarkably, some original trees, including Mango (Mangifera indica) and Avocado (Persea americana), survive today in private gardens.

Victorian-era row plantings

By the late 1800s, a distinctive public planting style emerged. Led by Charles Moore, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens (1848–1896), large-scale planting of figs, particularly Moreton Bay and Port Jackson, began to define local green spaces.

Rather than strict rows, figs were arranged naturally, softened by complementary species such as Deciduous Fig (Ficus superba), Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) and Camphor Laurel (Cinnamomum camphora). Tall, vertical elements like Bunya Pine (Araucaria bidwillii), Queensland Kauri (Agathis robusta) and Cook Pine (Araucaria columnaris) added drama to the skyline.

These Victorian boundary plantings remain a defining feature of Sydney, especially in major parks and along prominent streetscapes, including:

• Anzac Parade, Moore Park
• Bridge Road, Wentworth Park
• City Road and Broadway, Victoria Park
• Elizabeth and College streets, Hyde Park
• York Street, Lang Park
• Wynyard Park and Buckland Street, Alexandria Park.

In the early 20th century, multilayered planting styles evolved into more formal layouts, often reworking older garden designs. After World War 1, exotic palms became popular, particularly the Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) and Washington Palm (Washingtonia robusta), which featured in commemorative landscapes such as Jubilee Park in Glebe and Redfern Park in Alexandria.

Mixed informal palm groupings also appeared, including:

• Dawes Point Park, The Rocks
• Green Park, Darlinghurst
• Beare Park, Elizabeth Bay
• Prince Alfred Park, Surry Hills.

Public gardens and street tree planting continued through the inter-war years and after World War 2. Popular species included:

• Native Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus)
• Hill’s Weeping Fig (Ficus microcarpa var. hillii)
• American Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
• London Plane (Platanus x acerifolia).

Examples remain in:

• Macleay, Victoria, Tusculum and Manning streets, Potts Point
• Arcadia and Avenue roads, Glebe
• Buckland Street, Alexandria.

Parks under pressure

As Sydney densified, parklands faced increasing development pressure. During the Great Depression, limited resources and unemployment led to inconsistent park management. Trees were removed or added with little long-term planning, a pattern that persisted until the 1960s.

The rise of the bush garden

From the 1940s and 1950s, designers such as Betty Maloney, Jean Walker and Edna Walling promoted native planting, leading to a uniquely Australian garden style. This movement aligned with broader environmental awareness in the 1960s and 1970s.

Sydney parks adopted this bush aesthetic, using:

• Eucalypts (Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp.)
• Paperbarks (Melaleuca spp.)
• She-oaks (Casuarina spp.)
• Wattles (Acacia spp.)
• Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.).

These native trees drew strong community support during the register nomination process. While some disrupted earlier heritage plantings, they have enriched biodiversity and provided important habitat.

Landscape changes

In the 1980s, the Darling Harbour redevelopment brought in mature specimen palms to create an ‘instant landscape’. Some were nursery-grown, but others were relocated from significant sites, sometimes at the cost of local heritage.

Today, mature trees such as Cabbage Palms (Livistona australis) are no longer taken from the wild. Instead, they are often salvaged from roadworks, forestry projects or development sites, preserving trees that would otherwise be lost.

Many 19th century landscapes are ageing and facing increased pressure from urban development. In the years ahead, we’ll need to make important decisions about how we manage and replace these mature trees.

We’re adopting the principles of Designing with and for Country, an approach that integrates Indigenous knowledge and practice into urban planning and design. At its core is the Connecting with Country framework by Government Architect NSW, which emphasises caring for Country as a shared responsibility: ‘If we care for Country, Country will care for us.’

Like all living things, even the most significant trees will eventually reach the end of their life. These trees are more than part of the landscape: they carry history, meaning and deep emotional value. We recognise and respect the strong attachments communities form with these trees.

As Sydney changes, losing ageing trees can spark concern. The removal of healthy, significant trees for development, such as the loss of figs along Anzac Parade for the light rail, often leads to public protest and debate.

Incorporating Designing with and for Country into our planning helps us make culturally aware, thoughtful decisions. As we manage the future of these trees, our focus remains on honouring their legacy while supporting an evolving city.