Explorers tree, Historical landmark on Great Western Highway near Katoomba, Australia
Explorers Tree is a concrete tree stump mounted on a stone base beside the Great Western Highway at the foot of Pulpit Hill. The remains are protected by a stone wall structure and display plaques that explain its connection to early exploration of the region.
Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson, and William Charles Wentworth reportedly marked this tree in 1813 during their expedition across the Blue Mountains. This crossing opened a path for European settlers to move into previously uncharted inland regions.
The stump represents the arrival of early European explorers to this region and serves as a meeting point where visitors encounter different viewpoints about colonial history. The site prompts reflection on how communities remember and interpret the past.
The site sits directly alongside the main road and is easy to reach while driving or hiking through the region. Information plaques at the location provide context and make it worth pausing to read and understand the story.
Indigenous advocates painted a flag on the stump in the late 1980s to add an alternative perspective to the story of European expansion. This act has itself become part of the site's ongoing narrative.
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