The Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge stands tall and proud on the main street of town, which is in Central Queensland.
It’s a mammoth of a monument, which commemorates the heritage listed Ghost Gum that was poisoned back in 2006. Since then, the Tree of Knowledge has been preserved and stored under an award winning timber structure.
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Tree of Knowledge, Barcaldine
Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge HISTORY
The Tree of Knowledge is seen as the birthplace of the Australian Labour Party, which consisted of a group of disgruntled rural workers. They first met under the tree to plan a campaign for better pay and shorter working hours.
It was under the Tree of Knowledge next to the Railway Station that an organisation was formed in 1891 that later became the Australian Labour Party.
Barcaldine became the central point for all of the shearers involved in the ‘Great Shearers Strike.’ By May of 1891, over 3000 shearers marched under the “Eureka” flag as they protested against poor working conditions and low wages. Unfortunately they lost.
The site of the Ghost Gum (Eucalyptus Papuana) will forever be known as the scene of the beginning of the Labour party and the future of politics in Australia.
Barcaldine Tree of Knowledge SCULPTURE
On 26th January 2006, the Tree of Knowledge was included on the National Heritage List. Sadly though, the tree was poisoned that same year.
These days, a memorial consists of the actual tree, which has been preserved. The tree roots can be seen behind glass underfoot. Artificial branches and leaves have been created within the timber structure that surrounds the tree.
During the day, we found the monument to be an eyesore, but at night… wow, it glows green through the cracks of the timber and looks fantastic!
Tree of Knowledge LOCATION
| TREE OF KNOWLEDGE | |
|---|---|
| Address | Oat Street, Barcaldine QLD 4725 |
Don’t forget to grab a good old paper map for your Central Queensland travels. While technology is good, sometimes it fails us or just isn’t available. It’s wise to have a hard copy on hand as well.
Hema Map Features:
- Camping areas
- Caravan parks
- Fully indexed
- Easy to use
More Things to Do in Barcaldine
Between the Bougainvilleas Heritage Trail
Take a self-guided walk through town to discover some of the unique buildings around Barcaldine, with two of them being heritage listed. Head to the Visitor Information Centre to grab a map.
Barcaldine Heritage Trail Buildings:
- Masonic Lodge – (1901) Still used as a Masonic Temple for monthly meetings
- Radio Picture Theatre – (1926) Originally showed silent movies, but now plays blockbusters
- Old National Bank – (1906) Used as a bank for 70 years, now houses a museum
- St Peters Anglican Church – (1898) Complete with Gothic style spire & stained glass windows
| BARCALDINE INFO CENTRE | |
|---|---|
| Address | 149 Oak Street, Barcaldine QLD 4725 |
Barcaldine Rec Park
Head to the Barcaldine Rec Park to enjoy water sports and swimming, which is a massive relief from the outback heat.
The Rec Park is a manmade lake spanning 1100 metres long and 250 metres wide with dedicated swimming areas.
| BARCALDINE REC PARK | |
|---|---|
| Address | 1 Kurrajong Drive, Barcaldine QLD 4725 |
Barcaldine BIG Things
For those who are collecting BIG Things while travelling, there is the BIG Rooster in Barcaldine to tick off. It sits on a roof at the entrance to a produce supplies business on the outskirts of town.
Download the full Australian Big Things Checklist or grab the Queensland one below.
QLD Big Things Checklist
Tick off over 150 Big things as you travel Queensland!
- 17-page checklist
- Pre-filled with 150+ items
- Categorised into 6 regions
- QLD Regional Map
- Full street addresses
- Record finds & dates
- DIGITAL & PRINTABLE
OUTBACK ESSENTIALS
Trip Planning Tools
| TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES |
|---|
| ✔️ Checklists → 💲 Budget Spreadsheets → ✏️ Planners & Guides → |
PIN IT for later!
