Derby - The Boab Prison Tree

On the way into Derby we stopped to check out the Boab Prison Tree. Then we headed into town to do jobs 🙄. The kids thought the prison tree was cool, but didn’t believe me at first when I told them what it use to be used for, then they read the information board!

‘The Boab Prison Tree, also known as Kunumudj is believed to be 1,500 years old.

This remarkable tree has a circumference of over 14 metres and has an oblong slit in the bark, through which the hollow centre is visible - this is common among older boab trees when the soft spongy trunk tissue dies off, causing the trunk to become hollow.

The Boab Prison Tree is a culturally significant site for the local Nyikina people and is also important in the story of the early settlement of Derby and the region’s pastoral industry. It is known to have been used for several different purposes - accounts from the early 1900’s indicate that the tree had been in use by local Aboriginal people, whether as a resting place or a sacred place is unclear. The tree and adjacent Myalls Bore were also the last overnight stop for local pastoralists droving cattle to the port at Derby. The Boab prison tree is also said to have been used as a prison, or as a holding area for Aboriginal prisoners being transported long distances to the gaol at Derby.’

At Derby park the kids found another boab tree that had fallen down and enjoyed playing in this while we had lunch.Read more