This column's two-part exposé on the knock-out new Murramarang South Coast Walk prompted a bulging mailbag.
While most of the correspondence reflected the sentiments of Johnathon Smithers of Kambah who has walked parts of the old track "on and off for 30 years" but "can't wait to step out along the upgraded sections", several readers asked about the unusually shaped spotted gum growing alongside the track near Emily Miller Beach.
The conspicuous tree, which I previously reported "appears to have grown out of a stump and has coppiced into four new trunks which together form a naturally occurring wooden well at the base", is a well-known landmark on the track.
"Are you sure it's not a man-made well tree?" asks Sammy Johnson of Kaleen.
Never heard of a "well tree"?
You're probably not alone. While culturally scarred trees are often highlighted and treasured by the broader community as significant relics, well trees (also called water trees) are much less known.
As opposed to scar trees which are purposefully modified for a range of reasons, including to make canoes and coolamons, well trees are modified specifically to capture and hold fresh water. These trees can be found in many parts of Australia and for thousands of years were essential resources that helped sustain First Peoples as they moved through the landscape.
A spokesperson for the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, which manages the Murramarang walk, says the spotted gum in question "doesn't show signs of human modification, so is unlikely to be a well tree, but we can't be 100 per cent certain".
So, are there well trees closer to home?
According to Ngunnawal-Wiradjuri man Joel Bulger, although many have sadly succumbed to bushfire, there are still a few specimens that pre-date European settlement scattered throughout the mountainous country of the ACT.
While the location of most of these trees is a closely guarded secret, one of the best examples still standing in the ACT is growing near the Birrigai Outdoor School near Tidbinbilla.
Despite the tree's proximity to the Birrigai Rock Shelter, one of the ACT's most-visited Indigenous sites with evidence of Aboriginal use dating back 26,000 years, as the tree isn't signposted, unless you knew about it, you'd walk straight past it.
I should know, for that's exactly what I've done for more than 30 years. Perhaps I've been too distracted contemplating the challenges of living in this landscape 26,000 years ago - when temperatures were about 10 degrees colder, and snow would have covered the ground for almost half the year - to notice the tree. At least that's my excuse.
However, I won't make that mistake anymore for earlier this week after visiting the tree with Joel Bulger and fellow Birrigai Aboriginal ranger Luke Hyatt, it's jettisoned to my number-one spot along the Birrigai Time Trail.
"Well trees were made in this area by my ancestors so when they were travelling through on our songlines up into the high country near Kosciuszko, they'd make these trees so the mobs would have water to drink and they could make damper to eat," explains Joel as he affectionately slaps the bark on the old apple box as you would your best mate on their back.
Joel explains how the well was made. "They'd target young trees that were about 25 to 30 centimetres in diameter and cut the trunk off about two-foot from the ground and put a stone in the middle of the stump.
"Over time they would tie the epicormic growth from three of four main branches, allowing them to grow around the edges of the stone, forming a bowl.
"They'd come back year after year and check on the tree and over time that well would get bigger and eventually start to capture water."
Luke says that due to the time taken for the tree to grow into its modified shape, "they weren't making it for themselves or even their kids, rather their great-grandkids or great-great-grandkids".
"This was probably one of the last made in this area before European contact," he adds.
The height of the bowl is critical as it needs to be high enough off the ground to ensure animals like kangaroos don't spoil the water, says Joel. "It's also handy to have it at waist height as it's easier to access the water."
While the base of the well has partially rotted, it's clear both dedicated rangers consider this ancient apple box a tangible link to their past.
"It makes me feel really special to pass on information that our ancestors told us ... it's important people learn about our country and to ensure that knowledge isn't lost," says Joel. "Working out here I feel a strong connection to my grandparents and their grandparents."
Meanwhile Luke, who hails from the "GunaiKurnai and Wotjobaluk mobs in Victoria", but who has lived in Canberra for much of his life, "feels a sense of energy coming off the tree". "It makes me feel grounded and connected that we still have these old trees around and it's a real privilege to show people.
"Once there would have been hundreds of trees dotted through this country," says Joel, pointing to the far horizon. "But over time many have burnt in bushfires, completely rotted out or had branches drop off with age, we are lucky this one has survived."
Indeed, almost as lucky as Birrigai is to have passionate rangers like Joel and Luke who are committed to ensure the knowledge of their ancestors lives on for future generations.
Emus, tennis and tight squeezes
The Birrigai Time Trail: Unless you are attending a school camp at Birrigai Outdoor School, the trail (a 3.2km round trip, allow 1-1.5 hours) is only accessible via Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Visitor Centre. Easy grade with some stairs. Entry fees apply. The Birrigai "well tree" is located on this trail near the clearly marked rock shelter and is best visited on a ranger-guided activity.
Don't miss: Although for cultural and preservation reasons you are not permitted to enter the rock shelter, nearby are a few accessible squeezes (natural tunnels in the rock). If you are looking into the rock shelter, the entrance to the longest of these is about 15 metres behind your right shoulder. Warning: Don't have too much for lunch beforehand, they aren't called squeezes for nothing.
Watch out for: Apart from the ubiquitous eastern grey kangaroos, there are many emus in this area of bush. Did you know that when drinking emus can take up to 70 mouthfuls of water and they lift their head after every single one.
Tennis anyone? Along the trail are several other historic sites which reflect the much more recent 170-year European history of the area. One of these locations is the remnants (only post holes and part of a fireplace remain) of a hut that local identity Jack Maloney built in 1905. Along with other locals, Maloney trapped rabbits, collected wild honey and caught brumbies (which were subsequently broken in and sold to the Australian army). Just down the hill from "the house that Jack built" is a flat piece of land that Maloney gifted to the small community for a tennis court. The court's heyday was between the two world wars. Today, after decades of neglect, but for an interpretative sign, you'd never guess it was once a popular social sporting and meeting place.
WHERE IN CANBERRA?
Rating: Medium - Hard
Clue: Arthur
How to enter: Email your guess along with your name and address to tym@iinet.net.au. The first correct email sent after 10am, Saturday September 9 wins a double pass to Dendy, the Home of Quality Cinema.
Last week: Congratulations to first-time winner Renae Boege of Banks who was the first reader to correctly identify last week's photo as Monaro Street, Queanbeyan. The photo, taken by the late Keith Pardy who worked for many years as a film technician at the National Library of Australia, was submitted by his grandson Nicholas.
Several readers attempted to determine the (unknown) year of the photo. Stephen Leahy of Macquarie noted "it must be post-1970 as the traffic lights you can see at the intersection with Crawford Street weren't installed until then". Meanwhile, Craig Webb reports the photo was taken post-1975 "as you can see cars on the Queens Bridge over the Queanbeyan River which only opened in 1975".
Richard Holgate even had a crack at identifying the actual festival. "It might be the Queanbeyan City Parade that was held on the 13th of November 1976 which followed a route from the Hotel Queanbeyan to the showground," reports Richard. "Assuming it went down Crawford Street, this photo would have been taken just after they turned right onto Monaro Street."
Finally, John Jackson of Red Hill loved seeing "the vintage 'Shire of Yarrowlumla' fire truck" while several readers have memories of a float carrying a "yowie" in a Queanbeyan Street parade from the same era. Now that, I'd like to see.
SIMULACRA CORNER
While Aboriginal rangers Joel Bulger and Luke Hyatt reckon this rock formation resembles an eagle's head, I'm not so sure what to make of it. Looks more like the side profile of a sloth to me. Perhaps I have to stand on my head and squint with one eye closed to see it?
CONTACT TIM: Email: tym@iinet.net.au or Twitter: @TimYowie or write c/- The Canberra Times, GPO Box 606, Civic, ACT, 2601
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