After standing watch over Central Park, Longueville since 2019, the much-loved natural tree sculpture has been taken down.
The timber had degraded and was no longer safe for the public to sit on, climb on or gather around.
A quick look back
The sculpture started its life as something much bigger. The original tree was an Angophora costata — commonly known as Sydney Red Gum, Smooth-barked Apple or Rusty Gum — thought to have been planted in the early 1900s and one of the oldest living things in Lane Cove.
With no competition from surrounding trees, it grew that unmistakable spreading, contorted canopy with rust-stained bark, just outside the tennis club.
When safety concerns saw it marked for removal back in 2019, the community was devastated. Locals pushed Council for a second arborist report, which sadly confirmed the first.
A goodbye ceremony was held at the time by the Lane Cove Bushland and Conservation Society and Mitch Gibson from Yogabowl, whose studio used to look out over the tree.
You can revisit our original 2019 article here: Central Park Tree Gets A Second Life.
The sculpture that followed
Rather than lose the tree entirely, Lane Cove Council commissioned Andrew Smith of Timber Creations to save selected branches from the top of the historic tree and shape them into a bespoke natural sculpture — built to be sat on, climbed on and enjoyed, as reported by Outdoor Design Australia at the time.
It stood in the same place where the original tree had grown, just outside the tennis club.
On 7 September 2019, Lane Cove Council formally announced the finished log sculpture was open to the public:
Council is pleased to announce an original log sculpture at Central Park in Longueville is now open to enjoy! … Since the tree’s removal, Council has worked with Timber Creations to turn some of the tree’s limbs into a sculpture. You are welcome to sit, climb and enjoy this tree sculpture.
The end of an era
Perhaps no one captured the moment better than Dee from Yogshala, whose studio windows look right out onto Central Park and who has practiced, trained and now teaches on that same patch of ground.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote:
Ah the end of an era. I practiced here when this was a tree, I trained here when this fallen masterpiece became a sculpture and now I teach here, and hope to be here a long time, to see the new tree @lanecovecouncil plants…
Why was the sculpture removed?
Lane Cove Council has confirmed the sculpture was removed because it had reached a point in its natural decomposition where it was no longer safe as a play feature.
A Council spokesperson told ITC that the original Angophora, also known as a Spotted Red Gum, once stood in the same location before it had to be removed. Its trunk was later returned to Central Park as a climbing sculpture to honour the significance of the tree and keep its legacy alive.
“Unfortunately, the sculpture reached a point in its natural decomposition where it was no longer safe as a play feature, and it was removed,” Council said.
Council also confirmed that a new Angophora tree will be planted in the coming days.
Goodbye, old friend
For ITC, this story carries some quiet weight.
Our founder, Jacky Barker, has very fond memories of the sculpture, as her beautiful golden retriever Mr Doggy ITC, also known as Buddy, had more than a few photos taken there over the years. During COVID lockdown, Jacky and Buddy walked past it almost daily.
Jacky lost Buddy last year, which was a very sad time for the family. So saying goodbye to the sculpture is, in its own quiet way, saying goodbye to a small piece of Buddy’s story too.
That said, we’re excited about what comes next.
Six years isn’t bad for a second life. The Angophora that stood in Central Park from the early 1900s gave the community more than a century of shade, beauty and memories, and then, in its second act, another six years of climbing, sitting and quiet enjoyment.
Now there is a lovely full-circle moment ahead, with a new Angophora set to take root in Central Park.
