Geelong Ginkgo: 160-Year-Old Tree Wins State Vote

Planted in 1859, a ginkgo biloba in Geelong's botanic gardens received 27% of the 4,435 public votes cast in Victoria's 2026 tree of the year contest. The National Trust of Australia (Victoria), which administers the awards, announced the result on Tuesday.

The tree rises about 20 metres, making it the largest ginkgo biloba in the state and possibly in Australia. It defeated eight other finalists. A smooth bark apple myrtle in Prahran finished second and a myrtle beech in Apollo Bay placed third.

Entry requires a place on the National Trust's significant tree register, which lists 2,500 trees across Victoria for their cultural, scientific and historic value. More than 40 trees were nominated this year. A panel of 12 experts and arboriculturists reduced that group to nine finalists for the public vote.

Justin Buckley, the National Trust Victoria's executive manager of gardens and landscapes, called the ginkgo a "very popular winner" and said, "It's a really special tree, and very well loved in that area." The tree's seeds came from China, and one account holds that a ship's captain brought them when stopping at the Geelong port. Garden workers and volunteers have tended it over the decades. Stalactite-like growths now run along its trunk and branches, a feature that appears only on much older female ginkgos. Its fruit carries a reputation for smelling bad.

Sheree Parker, the botanic gardens supervisor, said the ginkgo is the park's "most visited and talked about" tree and is beginning to stir after dormancy. She said many couples choose to marry beneath it on the lawn. Staff at the City of Greater Geelong campaigned for the win by repeatedly urging votes on social media.

The contest began in 2016. The National Trust is asking the Victorian government to grant automatic statutory protection to trees on its register and council registers and to adopt a "retain first" planning principle that makes removal a last resort. The state introduced uniform protection of canopy trees in the past year, but Buckley said the rules remain "quite limited" and leave "large scope" for significant trees to come down without a permit. He said trees lack the protection given to heritage buildings.