On the 25th August 1958, the Minister for Forests H.E. Graham officially opened the Festival of Trees and named the great log ‘The Elizabeth Karri Tree’.
As part of the Festival of Trees Week in Perth in August 1958, Bunnings donated a karri tree as a tribute to the States forest wealth. The job of undertaking this task came under the Donnelly Mill Management of R.J. Britten and several Karri trees were selected by the Bush Boss Phil McNab and felled by Snow Henderson and Sonny Parkinson before the perfect specimen was found. The tree that was finally chosen came from the Donnelly River permit area and was the fifth to be selected, felled by Snowy Henderson using a Blue Streak two man chainsaw.
Before cutting, this karri tree was 378 years old, stood 157ft (47.8m) high and was 119ft (36.2m) to the first limb. After falling the 106ft (32.3m) log had a butt circumference of 25ft (7.6m), a crown circumference of 16ft (4.8m), and weighed 110 tons.
‘The much photographed karri log in Kings Park and Botanic Garden has finally succumbed to the ravages of time and weather. The karri is being removed and the remaining useful wood will be mulched for use in garden beds in Kings Park and Botanic Garden. It is not intended to replace the karri log with another tree log. Instead, over 300 karri trees have been planted in the Botanic Garden, so that future generations of visitors to Kings Park can appreciate the majesty and grandeur of living karri trees.’ Botanic Gardens & Parks Authority.
The log remains were officially removed in 2001 by the Botanic Gardens & Park Authority.
