In December 2014, Darwin agronomist Rob Wesley-Smith posed with a large Milkwood tree in the CBD , which he had succeeded in having placed on the Heritage list . At the time of Cyclone Tracy in 1974 he was in a block of flats nearby which had the roof torn off and badly damaged .When he emerged from the building he removed a sheet of tin imbedded in the tree, and walked about the city taking photos , now in the archives, cutting his foot in the process , going to hospital to be stitched up .
He had fought to have the tree listed as one of significance during the reconstruction of the city . At the time this photograph was taken , he was concerned to find that a fig tree was growing up against the Milkwood, bearing a Heritage plaque, threatening to choke it . The empty block on which it stands was being used by contractors building a 26 storey hotel across the road .
He had fought to have the tree listed as one of significance during the reconstruction of the city . At the time this photograph was taken , he was concerned to find that a fig tree was growing up against the Milkwood, bearing a Heritage plaque, threatening to choke it . The empty block on which it stands was being used by contractors building a 26 storey hotel across the road .
This is the latest photograph of the Milkwood -apparently dead . Wes says he would not be surprised if the tree had been deliberately poisoned . It showed civic authorities were lacking in their care of Darwin's heritage. He is also disappointed at the local media's apparent failure to cover this story and investigate , despite being informed .
