Above, you are looking at an uncommonly old, very large example of an “iconic” Australian tree: Corymbia aparrerinja, commonly known as ghost gum.
This particular tree, near Trephina Gorge, circa one hour east of Alice Springs, is billed as the largest living ghost gum.
Close by, is a smaller but more elegant ghost gum; the “powdered” hand in #3 of this series was my beloved’s, immediately after she had gently rubbed that tree’s trunk.
For many thousands of years, Central Australia’s first humans have been putting ghost gum bark’s white powder to ceremonial use…
To Aboriginal Australians, ghost gums have long been “culturally significant”… and highly useful for other, “practical” purposes.
The ghost gum is not confined to the MacDonnell Ranges, but has become emblematic of them, thanks in no small part to Albert Namatjira.
Click here for much more about ghost gums… botanically, culturally, historically and medically.
(as it happens, the article’s authors are the tour operators who provided us with a raft of unforgettable June 2023 experiences…the good kind of “unforgettable”, and ethically sound too)
Photo is copyright Doug Spencer, taken at 9.40 am, 14 June 2023.