‘Oh, the flame trees will blind the weary driver’

Flame trees have been immortalised in song. The lyrics in the headline come from one of Cold Chisel’s greatest hits, 1984’s Flame Trees. Presumably Council is not too worried about the safety risks, however, as the iconic tree has been planted in many public places, from the bus stop at Stanwell Park to the high street of Thirroul to the grounds of Wollongong Botanic Garden.

We asked Wollongong City Council: ‘How many flame trees has Council planted around Wollongong and what makes it a good street tree?’ Here’s what a spokesperson said:

The Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius) is an iconic Wollongong and Illawarra native tree and one that our community loves to see planted around the city. Our records show that there are approximately 500 Flame Trees planted in the Wollongong Local Government Area. However, as our tree database is a relatively recent introduction to our tree management planning, we have not recorded every tree yet. There may be an even higher number of Flame Trees in Wollongong.

The Flame Tree is a type of local rainforest tree which provides a spectacular display of red flowers on bare stems. It’s a partially deciduous tree – which means that it may shed leaves during spring. At the same time, each individual tree is highly variable in form, flowering and leaf cover.

Due to the Flame Tree’s deciduous nature, these trees are at their best when planted in groups or clumps in parklands instead of as street trees or in avenue plantings (where a consistent tree cover is required). When choosing a suitable location for a Flame Tree, Council arborists will investigate the proposed location and consider important factors such as soil volume, and any neighbouring obstructions such as footpaths, roads and overhead powerlines.