The Giant Tingle - Walpole- Nornaup NT

Giants of the Forest

Today, this red tingle (Eucalyptus jacksonii) is a giant among eucalypts. It is listed on the National Register of Big Trees as having the largest girth in Australia (excluding Ficus sp).
Marvel at the huge buttressed trunk which provides stability in the moist soil for this shallow rooted tree. Many of the larger red tingles are over 400 years old
This giant tingle has a girth of 22.3 metres.

Who are the GIANTS?
They are tingle trees. There are three types of tingle tree - Red (Eucalyptus jacksonii), Yellow (Eucalyptus guilfoylei) and Rates (Eucalyptus brevistylis). Yellow Tingle

Why are they called Giants?
Red Tingle trees have very large trunks, sometimes up to 20 metres in circumference. They can grow to 75 metres tall. The Yellow Tingle grows to about 35 metres high, and the Rates Tingle to 60 metres. Red Tingle

Why are the GIANTS special?
These trees, especially the Red Tingle, only grow around Walpole between the Deep River in the west, the Bow River in the east and within 10 km of the coast, an area of approximately 6,000 hectares.

Where did they get their common names from?
Red Tingle trees are named for their distinctive red wood. Yellow Tingle trees have yellow timber which is straight grained, dense and durable. The Rates Tingle is named after John Rate, the first District Forester in Walpole. He argued that there were three types of tingle trees not just the Red and Yellow Tingles. Once this was proven, the Rates Tingle was named. John Rate was killed by a falling tree limb in 1969.

How old are these trees?
Red Tingle trees can grow for over 400 years. The Giant Tingle in the photo is over 300 years old. Its age was estimated by comparing the growth rings of fallen trees with trunks of a similar girth.

How can the trees survive with hollow bases?
Tingle trees often have hollow bases that are caused by fire which is a natural part of the environment in which they grow. The wood is strong and even a relatively thin shell will support the tree. As long as part of the living layer of the tree immediately under the bark remains intact, the tree will re-shoot and continue to grow.Læs mere