The Robbers Tree, Heritage-listed tree in Cunnamulla, Australia.
The Robbers Tree is a mature Cypress Pine (Callitris cupressiformis) about 15 metres high, standing on a low sand ridge at the southern end of Stockyard Street, near Bedford Street, on the outskirts of Cunnamulla. A low fence of metal posts and wire surrounds it.
On 16 January 1880 Joseph Wells robbed the Queensland National Bank at Cunnamulla at gunpoint; a sheep dog barking at the tree led police to find him hidden in its branches. Convicted in Toowoomba, he was executed on 22 March 1880. His case became the last execution for armed robbery with wounding in Queensland, and Attorney-General Arthur Rutledge later removed armed robbery from the capital offences.
The tree is the focus of a local bushranger legend in southwest Queensland and a feature of interest to tourists. Its name comes from Joseph Wells, the station hand who hid in its branches in 1880. The story of the robbery and the debate over his execution gave the township of Cunnamulla considerable publicity.
The tree stands at the southern end of Stockyard Street, near the corner of Bedford Street, on a low sand ridge on the edge of town. A low fence of metal posts and wire surrounds it. The site is outdoors and unshaded, so bring water and sun protection.
The tree was connected to the case that marked Queensland's last execution for armed bank robbery. This historical link makes the site a witness to a turning point in the state's criminal history.
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