Bunya bunyas (2) at Blaby

North Road, Langwarrin

Citation:

(To be revised).

History
Richard J Clarke selected 94 acres at this site and was granted the freehold in 1891; Gunson notes him among others as Langwarrin pioneers.1 Clark was dead by c1901 and his large land holdings were divided among family members. These bunyas are probably linked with is tenure and hence planted in the late 1880s or early 1890s.

The newspaper proprietor, Keith Murdoch, was rated in the 1920s as owning part of this allotment described then as a wattle and daub and weatherboard house on 13 acres, occupied by Thomas Myers Renshaw.2 Renshaw is remembered by Dame Elisabeth Murdoch as the occupier of the house on what was a long-term family property. She is sure that the trees were not planted during their tenure: the name 'Blaby' has family origins.3

Description
Two well formed, large and rare bunya bunyas ('Araucaria bidwilli') are set either side of a gate to a long drive leading to a c1944-5 fibrous cement sheet house sited on a hill (now part of Murdoch's Cruden Farm), with Monterey cypress and other mature exotics (oaks?) near the house. The driveway is lined with mature but small 'Pittosporum undulatum'. Other plantings near the house are of the 1920s and include 'Grevillea robusta', 'Cupressus macrocarpa', 'Eucalyptus citriodora' and 'Quercus sp.'

Condition
The trees are in good condition but some of the branches have been trimmed for the addition of overhead wires, resulting in tree canopy imbalance. Consideration should be given to use of aerial bundle conductors (ABC) or placing the wires underground near the trees.

Context
This property adjoins Cruden Farm (q.v.) and occupies a large area of hillside pasture facing the road.

Significance
The trees are significant within the City for their maturity and rarity. There is also possible local historical significance, if the trees were associated with the Clarke farming family, as an unusual exemplar of ornamental planting by local farmers late last century.

Boundaries
Extent of two bunya bunyas and land within a radius of 10m from each tree, public views to and from the trees, and associated drive planting.