164 
THE GIANT TREES OF VICTORIA. 
The existence in Victoria of trees, of Eucalyptus species, some hundreds of feet in height, had been 
known for many years prior to the holding of the Centennial International Exhibition in Melbourne during 
188S. Rumours were current that trees had been seen towering to a height of over five hundred feet, with 
circumferences ranging from seventy-five to one hundred feet. Up to that time, however, no systematic 
endeavour appears to have been made to obtain accurate measurements or photographs of these giants of 
the forest 
Some time in 1886 Professor O. W. Holmes, who is an enthusiast in the matter, wrote from America 
to the Honorable Dr. Dobson, of Melbourne, Victoria, asking him to obtain, if possible, some photographs 
of these trees. Sir John Coode, the celebrated English engineer, also expressed a similar wish during his 
visit to Victoria. 
It would appear that Mr. N. J. Caire, photographer, of Toorak Road, South Yarra, was the only 
person who had attempted to obtain negatives of some of the well-known specimens. Dr. Dobson therefore 
communicated with him on the subject, with the result that Mr. Caire, in August, 1887, wrote a letter to 
the Executive Commissioners for the Centennial Exhibition, making certain suggestions with regard to 
obtaining such photographs, and offering to supply them under certain conditions duly set forth therein. 
No active steps were taken, however, until March, 1888, when the matter was brought before a meeting 
of the Vegetable Products Committee of the Exhibition Commissioners. 
In the meantime, Dr. Dobson had laid his views before his colleagues, the trustees of the Public 
Library, and the Hon. J. L. Dow, Minister of Lands. Contributions were promised in each case towards 
the necessary expenditure. The Hon. James Munro, Executive Commissioner of the Centennial Exhibi¬ 
tion, and Chairman of the Vegetable Products Committee, was requested to complete all requisite 
arrangements; and, after an interview with the above-named gentleman, it was finally decided that the 
Lands Department should contribute £400, the trustees of the Public Library £100, and the Exhibition 
Commissioners £100—in all £600—for the purpose of obtaining a series of photographs of the highest 
known trees, together with reliable measurements. The Lands Department further undertook to supply, 
by the photo-lithographic process, any number of copies that might be required, the negatives to become 
the property of that department at the close of the work. In June, 1888, advertisements were inserted 
in the public press, intimating that any person having knowledge of the locale of a tree 400 feet in height 
would receive £20 upon pointing out the same, and an extra amount of £3 for every additional 5 feet. 
Following upon this, Mr. Joseph Harris, M.L.A., a member of the Vegetable Products Committee, 
obtained, through the kindness of Mr. S. Willis, of Prahran, the hollow butt of a tree which had been for 
convenience of transport sawn into thirteen vertical sections, and which was fitted together and placed 
in the exhibition grounds. This butt was 15 feet in height, and was described as follows :—Eucalyptus 
amygdalina, var. regnans (White Gum). This specimen before being felled measured 72 feet in circum¬ 
ference at the base, was 400 feet in height, and came from Menzies’ Creek, near Fern Tree Gully, 
Dandenong Ranges. 
The Government surveyors also furnished all the information they possessed, and the Hon James 
Munro personally offered a reward of £100 to anyone who could point out a tree 400 feet in height. I he 
reports of the surveyors tended to show that the largest trees were to be found in the Otway Ranges, 
Gippsland, and near Healesville. 
As time was pressing, it was considered desirable to divide the work of obtaining the desired 
photographs, and Mr. N. J. Caire and Mr. J. Duncan Peirce, of East St. Kilda, were requested to under¬ 
take it. After some delay Mr. Caire declined to co-operate, and the whole work devolved upon Mr. J. 
Duncan Peirce, who, in addition to being an excellent photographer, was also a civil engineer, and 
therefore specially fitted to take accurate measurements. He was assisted by Mr. C. R. Cunningham, 
surveyor, of Queen-street, Melbourne, whose bush experience was found to be extremely valuable. The 
trees inspected were carefully measured with theodolite, clinometer, and chain, but in so far as regards the 
height the result was disappointing. In the face of reports, apparently most reliable, of trees reaching 
450 and even 500 feet, the highest specimen found measured only 326 feet 1 inch. 
Opposite each plate in this album will be found a short description of the tree or trees photographed, 
giving the species, height, girth, locality, etc, 
