Valley of the Giants, Walpole, Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382440)
Rockingham, Australia
February 15, 2017 4:48pm CST
Walpole in Western Australia has an area known as the 'Valley of the Giants' where our massive karri trees grow. The area also boasts the last remaining tingle tree forest and the photo shows one of the old grand-daddy trees.
Tingles are shallow-rooted and the base buttresses out to provide extra support for the massive branches. Very often insect damage and bushfires cause the centres to hollow out providing, in one case, an opening large enough to drive a car through. Unfortunately continual compression of the ground from vehicles weakened the tree and a few years ago it fell during a storm.
The one in the photo has decking around it in an effort to preserve its health.
17 people like this
17 responses
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
16 Feb 17
There are Sequoia trees that are huge like this and one was very famous. Many years ago a group of men went traveling across country and had their photos taken under it in their model T Ford. This tree fell down recently and made local and national news. Local because of the men who traveled across country and had an article written up about them in the newspaper about their travels.
2 people like this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
16 Feb 17
I have seen pictures of those @JudyEv and they are an amazing tree.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
18 Feb 17
@JudyEv It makes ya wonder if some of the Brontosaurus and Stegosaurus used them to nibble on.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Feb 17
@nanette64 There is a place nearby that is devoted to dinosaurs but I'm not sure what is there.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
15 Feb 17
Id want to turn that into a house!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Feb 17
@JudyEv one would have to really build carefully and might be able to stop the drafts
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 17
Oh dear! What a responsibility! 
Of course I love the West but the east coast has the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lots of beaches and good shopping. Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef draw large numbers of tourists too. A trip up through the middle to Alice Springs and Uluru would show you the 'outback' which always makes an impression on visitors.
Of course I love the West but the east coast has the Sydney Harbour Bridge, lots of beaches and good shopping. Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef draw large numbers of tourists too. A trip up through the middle to Alice Springs and Uluru would show you the 'outback' which always makes an impression on visitors.1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (209132)
• United States
16 Feb 17
We have some giant redwoods in this country, and they are amazing to view. I heard recently that the one tree you could drive a car through..fell recently.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 17
With such massive trees you would think they would need a complete trunk for support, not one with half missing.
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
16 Feb 17
It looks like it's rotting from the inside and a strong wind might just knock it down.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
16 Feb 17
impressive trees - hope they are preserved and survive ok
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 17
There are still a lot around so hopefully they won't be extinct any time soon.
@garymarsh6 (24028)
• United Kingdom
16 Feb 17
Trees are so useful. I had to have an ornamental cherry tree taken down. The tree surgeon told me it must have been over 100 years old. I was terribly upset when I heard that and felt like a murderer.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 17
It would have been hard seeing it come down. Was it dangerous?
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Feb 17
Hopefully it will be around for a lot longer yet.
@teamfreak16 (43655)
• Denver, Colorado
16 Feb 17
That's a cool looking tree. Neat!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382440)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 17
Well apparently we split away from Africa and India. We still share some plant species with South Africa.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
15 Feb 17
That is one strange looking tree. Eventually these trees would fall over given the insects time.
1 person likes this
