The Tree of Knowledge is best known as the birthplace of the Labour Party and location for the first Australian shearer’s strike. But this tree has many more accolades stemming back over its 200-year history. After the tree was illegally poisoned in 2006, architect Brian Hooper was tasked with adding more bark to Barcy, designing the structure that you see today over this heritage-listed tree. The Tree of Knowledge is now not just a ghost gum but a sculpture that could be described as Australia’s largest wind chime. It’s best viewed in the morning sun or in the late afternoon, when you can really see the amber hues of the structure’s timber. By night, phosphorescent paint shines bright green and purple against the structure giving another perspective to this work of art.
Tip: Don’t forget to look down when you visit the Tree of Knowledge. The tree’s original root ball can be seen through thick, non-reflective glass. If you look closely, you’ll also be able to see a man’s ashes that he requested to be buried in its root system.