Quintessentially Australian

Whether you have walked through Docklands Park or let your dog off at Victoria Green, taken a stroll down Harbour Esplanade or made a trip to Costco, you no doubt would have walked past something quintessentially Australian: the eucalyptus tree.  

The eucalyptus tree is endemic to Australia. This means it can only be found here and nowhere else in the world. Though the eucalyptus trees dotted around Docklands are quite young (a reflection on the age of the area), eucalyptus species have endured Australia’s drought ridden and fire prone landscape exclusively for millions of years. Though they are quite ancient, scientists are still learning much about them.

As recently as this year, a team of biologists found that a eucalyptus tree located in a sheep paddock in Yeoval, New South Wales, was able to modify its genes to protect itself from being preyed upon. This ability is known as “genetic mosaicism”.

The scientists studying this tree observed that this particular eucalyptus species, eucalyptus melliodora, was able to change the colour of its leaves and scent to attract predators, like insects, to only certain parts of the tree, leaving other parts predator-free so that it could continue to grow and reproduce.   

There is surely the possibility that this genetic trait is more widespread than within a sheep paddock in New South Wales. You never know, the eucalyptus trees here in Docklands might just start to exhibit these characteristics. Make sure to keep a look out.  

Next time you look upon these iconic trees, hopefully you view them as much more than koala feed.

David Sibenaler is a Docklands resident and a budding science communicator.