Old Mulberry Tree at Reeves Point, Heritage mulberry tree at Reeves Point, Kingscote, Australia.
The Old Mulberry Tree at Reeves Point is a mulberry tree at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, the oldest surviving fruit tree in South Australia. Its old trunk and branches are held up by a support system of cables and poles, and the tree still bears fruit. It stands within the site of the first official European settlement in the colony.
The tree was probably planted by Charles Binden Powell, gardener for the South Australian Company, within days of the Duke of York's arrival on 27 July 1836. Other claimants include Johann Menge, Friedrich Kleeman, Johann Christian, Charles George Everard and Thomas Hudson Beare. The site was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register on 1 September 1983 as the site of the first official settlement in the colony.
Local families trace their ancestry to the early European settlers and feel connected to this tree as a symbol of their heritage. Visitors can sense the continuity between past and present when they stand near it.
The tree is easy to reach and requires no special preparation to view from nearby. Visitors should be respectful of the support cables and structures in place, as these are essential for protecting the mature tree from damage.
The tree's image appears on the logo of the Kangaroo Island Pioneers Association. A poem about it by "Racey Schlank" was published in 1911, and cuttings taken from the tree have been planted nearby and elsewhere in South Australia with mixed success.
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