Visiting Australia means seeing Eucalyptus trees, popularly known as gum trees or just gums. Lots and lots of them. There are supposed to be some 700 species. Without any doubt whatsoever you could fill books and books with information about these highly interesting trees. If you want to know more about them, go “googling”.

However I would just like to mention a few bits of information I find interesting.

First of all one particular species; the Eucalyptus camaldulensis known as the Red river gum. Absolutely magnificent trees with shapes, patterns, textures, colours and a variety which you could only conjure in your wildest dreams.

A second one is its amazing evaporation coefficient. It is a very thirsty plant and with its roots it will find deeper and deeper aquifers to find water. The Israelis and even Nero knew that and used the Eucalypti as natural pumps to drain their swamps. Either to just dry them up, but also as a way to fight the proliferation of Mosquitoes and the associated scourge of Malaria.

Thirdly, in the context of this website, that those trees are just so very beautiful. When visiting Adelaide in South Australia you can’t fail to learn about Hans Heysen and his beautiful art. He lived from 1877 until 1968. He was German born but from the age of seven lived the rest of his life in the village of Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills apart from four years that he studied art in France. He is especially known for his stunning aquarelles of the Australian landscape often featuring the majestic Eucalypt trees.

All images copyright © to ACW ten Broek