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Gija Jumulu – Giant Boab

// January 11th, 2009 // Home, Photography

A new road planned in the Kimberley, in North West Australia was a big threat for this tree because for 750 years it has been slowly growing in the patch of the planned road. The solution to save Gija Jumulu (The trees new name) was to move it 3200km to Kings Park in Perth. This was the longest land journey of a tree this size in history. The construction of s new bridge on the Great Northern Highway was required for the tree to be moved. The Gija people of the East Kimberley gifted Jumulu to the people of Western Australia.

Jumulu’s new home is atop the cliff face in Kings Park, overlooking the Swan River. The tree has just awoken from a dormant phase, and has sprouted new shoots. Yesterday Mark and I made a trip to say hello to the tree and take some pics.

Kings Park have also been collecting seeds from the mighty boab and nurturing them over the past six months. They are now 25 centimetres tall and ready to make their 3200 kilometre journey back to the area from which the boab came.